Tangled Hearts
by caterpillars.into.butterflies
Summary: Anthony's brother's death forces him to take the throne with only one catch: he is required to find a bride before he is 21. Unbeknownst to him, his head adviser is plotting behind his back to eliminate the selected, ensuring Anthony can't take over the throne and it is handed to him. Can Anthony find love and survive this web of tangled hearts before time runs out? SYOC closed
1. Form

**_Tangled Hearts  
_**

So, as you probably noticed, this is a selection SYOC, and before I do anything else, I'd like to thank **morethanjustastory** and **alexiaroosenhaan** for all their help starting this! They're the best and you should check out their stories, which are also great. The rules and the form are below, as well as on my profile, and I have a pinterest for this too, so if you have pinterest, check it out! My username is the same as it is here, and I'm planning on doing something similar to The Queenstrial, where everywhere shares the board and pins selection-y stuff. If you have a pinterest and want to do that, than PM me and we can talk!

 **Summary:** After his older brother's mysterious death, Prince Anthony is forced to take the throne and become the next ruler of Illea. There is only one catch: he is required to find a bride before he is 21, which is only a few months away. Unbeknownst to him, his most trusted adviser is plotting behind his back to eliminate the selected, ensuring Anthony can't take over the throne and it is handed to him. Can Anthony find his true love and survive this web of tangled hearts before time runs out?

 **Background:** King Derick and Queen Josie were the beloved rulers of Illea for 3 years before they went on a vacation and were mysteriously killed in the night without a trace of any physical harm done to them. Anthony, the only living royal, is left with the duty of upholding the kingdom. However, his most trusted adviser dug up a law that prohibits Anthony from claiming the throne until he is married, and it has to be before his 21st birthday or he is forced to forfeit his crown to his head adviser, Jaymes Duke, who is secretly plotting behind his back to get the throne to himself. Anthony is forced to host a selection to find himself a bride within the next three months. Jaymes was involved in the death of the late king and queen, and he is one of the only living people who knows how they are killed, and he is not afraid to use the same method on the selected to stop Anthony from marrying and becoming king. He is determined to claim the throne that he believes is rightfully his, and he will take all necessary measures to stop the crown from falling into Anthony's hands.

So, that's the deeper plot. So, Anthony is the only living royal family member, but I'll give you a description of him and some other important characters:

 **Prince Anthony Schreave:** Anthony always lived in his brother's shadow, but he didn't mind. Being the second eldest gave him free reign and allowed him to do whatever he wanted. He wasn't exactly a playboy, but he was more of a wild spirit and wasn't as serious as his older brother. His parents died only a month after Derick and Josie became king and queen, and he doesn't think he is prepared to take the throne. He trusted Jaymes more than anyone and depended on his guidance through everything, even if he was led wrong. Anthony is sweet and outgoing and playful, and though he appears confident, he is insecure and scared that he won't be able to lead his country correctly. He is rather sensitive, and he gets his feelings hurt easily, but he doesn't let it show. He was never the center of attention through all his life, allowing him to stay under the radar and get away with things, but now that he is in the spotlight, he is very uncomfortable. He doesn't exactly know how to behave, so he laughs it off on the report, trying to keep his real feelings under wraps. He is gentle and kind and protective, and he feels responsible for all the selected girls and doesn't want anything to happen to them. He is very attractive, with thick, dark hair, startling turquoise eyes, perfect teeth, and toned muscles. However, his brother was always the stud, and he was mostly overlooked, and now he just feels very lonely.

 **Jaymes Duke** : Jaymes' family has been advisers for many generations past, and hundreds of years ago, the same situation occurred and Jaymes' ancestor became king for almost a years before it was revealed that Justin Schreave, the rightful king, could actually take his throne. Since then, the Dukes have been stewing in secrecy and plotting their revenge for many years, and Jaymes is determined to finally conquer the throne. He poses as Anthony's best friend and most trusted adviser, and when they were younger, they truly were best friends, but since then, Jaymes' heart has hardened toward the royal family. He will do whatever it takes to get a hold of the throne.

 **Kassidy Holden:** Kassidy was Anthony's closest friend when he was younger, and she became the newer and younger version of Sylvie, teaching the selected etiquette and lessons. Anthony sees her like a little sister and doesn't approve of her dating, although she has gone through boyfriends like mad. Kassidy wants the best for Anthony and will try to help him weed out all the bad girls. Kassidy is cheerful, kind, and a little bit ditzy, but her incredible intelligence makes up for it. She is the typical blonde beauty: tan with blonde curls and a smattering of freckles brushed across her nose, complete with sky blue eyes. She is smart and funny and witty, and she is very easy to make friends with.

I think that's it! Now for the rules:

1\. No Mary Sues or America copies. Be creative and unique!

2\. I'll accept admissions through reviews, but only if you are a guest, and they won't be anything more than a minor character, because I can't talk to you about your character.

3\. It is NOT a first come, first served, and I'll be picky and only select girls that I think fit in with the story and can write well.

4\. Lots of detail! The more detailed and creative your character is, the better chance they have of being a main!

5\. You can submit up to three girls max, and they are allowed to know each other.

6\. I want a variety! Make creative characters! Don't go too crazy, but be unique.

7\. There will be six main characters, six supporting, and the rest minor, and I'm taking the most detailed characters that are easiest for me to write for the main.

8\. When you PM me with submissions, title it like this: "First and Last Name, Age, Caste, Province, Occupation/Tangled Hearts SYOC"

I think that's all the rules...

Main characters will have a constant POV

Supporting characters will have an occasional POV

Minor characters will rarely have a POV

Okay, this is important. Detail and creativity is the key to being a main character, and I want original, DETAILED submissions!

 ** _Form:_**

Full Name:

Nickname (Optional):

Age:

Caste:

Province (top 3 choices):

Occupation:

Hair (color, texture, length, thickness, type, style):

Eyes (shape, color, lashes, eyebrows):

Skin (tone, texture, birthmarks, scars, etc…):

Body Shape:

Height/Weight:

Overall Appearance :

Style Before Selection :

Style During Selection :

Face Claim :

Family (name, age, personality, appearance, relationship w/character):

Friends (name, age, caste, personality, appearance, relationship w/character):

Personality (DETAIL!):

Background/History:

Likes:

Dislikes:

Fears:

Talents:

Strengths:

Weaknesses:

Romantic History:

Maids (create 3, name, age, appearance, personality):

Guard at Door (same as maid – but only one):

Reason for Entering:

Thoughts/Treatment of Prince Anthony:

Thought/Treatment of Maids/Guards/Staff:

Thoughts/Treatment of other Selected:

Thoughts/Treatment of Advisers:

Thoughts/Treatment of Kassidy:

Ideal First Date:

Strategy for Winning:

If they would be eliminated, why?

Quotes:

Scene (Optional):

Things they take with them to the castle:

Favorite Color:

Favorite Food:

Anything Else:

Thanks to **morethanjustastory** who I mostly stole this from:)

Everything on here will be posted on my bio, as well as a list of the open provinces and the girls. I will have 35 slots open, but if I don't get enough submissions, I'll fill in the rest on my own. Thanks so much guys!


	2. Ch1 - What are the Chances?

_**Tangled Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 1: What are the Chances?  
**_

 **Hey guys! First, thanks so much for the reviews and all the characters. You guys are the best! Shoutout to** **alexiaroosenhaan, Ultimate Maxerica Shipper, morethanjustastory, and wolfofstark and to answer Eadlyn Schreave,** **yes, I would love it if you submitted a character! So, this chapter has a POV from Anthony, as well as introducing the first two main characters. and a major announcement - I've decided to have 10 main characters instead of 6, and 10 supporting characters instead of 6. the other 15 will be minor characters. thanks for reading and please review!**

 **Girls in this chapter:** Jemma Santiago and Gracelyn Spencer

 **btw: most of the chapters are probably going to be in first person, but Jemma's is in 1st person and the other two aren't, don't ask me why bc idk  
**

 **Jemma Saline Santiago, 19, Caste 5, Dancer**

Jemma danced through the kitchen, scurrying back and forth as she added a little pepper to the stew and then moved back to the cupboard to pull out an armful of vegetables.

The TV blasted from the other room, announcing weather reports and other updates from the province.

Alec watched his sister warily from the doorway to the kitchen.

She was humming lowly as she chopped a few carrots and some fuzzy red thing that honestly didn't even look like food, leaving them on the cutting board when she was done, then bouncing over to the stove and stirring something in a large pot.

Alec trudged over to sit at the kitchen table, causing Jemma to turn her head as the chair squeaked against the floor.

"It's about time you got home. You didn't eat breakfast, and weren't here for lunch." Jemma turned on him with a quizzical eye.

"Yeah, sorry about that; I had a busy day, not much time for food."

Jemma eyed him skeptically, knowing with his appetite, he'd make time for food regardless of his busy schedule. For a moment, Alec thought she would call him out on it, but she merely huffed, turning her back to him to throw the diced carrots and weird red thing in the pot.

"You really shouldn't skip meals, Alec. Especially when your dear sister slaves away in front of a hot stove to prepare them." She chided.

"If you knew how to cook, maybe I would eat," Alec muttered.

Jemma froze, slowly turning her head to stare unnervingly at him, her spoon poised dangerously in the air in anger. Alec didn't miss the flash of hurt in her eyes as she challenged him in a low tone.

"What did you say?"

Alec stood from his chair and edged toward the fridge.

"I said I'm going to look for a snack to eat."

"That's what I thought." Jemma said smugly before turning her attention back to the soup.

She continued her dance around the kitchen, rushing around to prepare a satisfactory meal for her family.

Jemma heard the TV shut off of Maryse strode into the kitchen with an envelope in her hand. Even in her old age, she still was intimidating, and Jemma automatically straightened at the sight of her.

"Jemma, does this look familiar?" her grandmother slapped the envelope down on the table, challenging her with an even stare as Jemma opened the envelope to reveal a pristine white paper with a glossy appearance.

"A selection form," she announced to the house in a dramatic manner, waving the letter about.

"What?" Maryse snatched the letter out of Jemma's hands, her eyes quickly skimming the contents of the letter.

"I don't want you entering this thing," she told her strictly with a glare. "Boys are no good. You need to stay here and take care of Maxwell." At that very moment, little Max came bounding into the room with a book in his hands.

"Hey Jemma," he chirped. "What's for dinner?" She pointed toward the pot over the oven as Alec entered the room. He strode over to her, reading the selection letter over her grandmother's shoulder, his eyes narrowing with each word.

"Were you thinking of entering this thing? I'm telling you Jemma, I don't want you dating a stuck up prince along with 34 other girls. It's not gona do you any good, and besides, we need you here," he told me, switching his angry gaze to her.

"What if I want to?" Jemma glared back, upset that her best friend and older brother was against this as well.

He glared back. "Well-"

"I'm going to enter, and there's nothing you can do about it. This is something mom always wanted, and I want to honor that. Besides, it will be fun to see how the palace works," She quipped, grabbing a pen to fill out the form.

"Fine," he huffed, slouching against his seat in annoyance. Her grandmother, however, wasn't quite appeased.

"You'd do well to listen to your brother, miss," she scolded Jemma with reproachful eyes. "That prince could easily tear your little heart out. He doesn't know what it means to work all day. He's spoiled and entitled, and if he thinks he's good enough for you, he's more than wrong," she ranted, and though her speach was probably meant to dissuade her, instead, Jemma felt her heart swell.

Even if she pretended otherwise, her grandmother still cared for Jemma, and she didn't think the prince deserved her. That was one of the nicest things Maryse had ever said to Jemma, and she stood a little straighter.

"That may be, but I'm going to fill it out anyway. Besides, what are the chances that I'm even going to be selected?" she narrowed her eyes, but finally gave in and huffed off to the other room.

Jemma filled out the form with renewed happiness. Besides, what were the chances of her being selected?

* * *

 **Gracelyn Marie Spencer, 18, Caste 6, Flight Attendant/Part Time Lifeguard**

My pencil flies across the page, shading and tracing lines, forming a perfect image of the palm trees and sunset in front of me. I give my drawing one my stroke and call it good, admiring my handiwork.

I inhale deeply and lean back, feeling the sand against my back and the last rays if the sun on my face. My eyes close and I feel perfectly at peace.

Out of all the places I've traveled to, I've yet to find one that comes close to the perfection of Clermont.

Sure, every place had its own perks, but Clermont is everything that's right in the world. The gorgeous ocean, beautiful street carnivals, amazing blue sky, and the perfect weather, it was hard to find anything wrong with the place.

I gather my drawing materials and stand up, feeling the cool breeze caress my face. I walk over to the edge of the water and let the waves tickle my feet, leaving them sticky with salt.

I stare at a surfer out from the shore and watch, entranced, as she rides the wave until it dies down.

Turning away, I start to trudge back and let out a sigh.

"Come on, Riley," I call, "it's time for dinner."

"Okay," my twelve year old sister calls as she paddles into shore.

She reaches me and splashes, sending a cascade of water toward my face.

The water splats against me and I jolt and sputter, kicking some at her as well. The wave crashes into her, but it is harmless, seeing as she is already soaked.

Riley finally emerges from the water and skips over to me. I throw an arm around her shoulders, feeling her wind damaged hair so like my own.

Her usually light brown hair is a lot darker when it's wet, and even dry it's darker than my caramel blonde hair, but otherwise, they're very similar. Both sun bleached and hardened by the salt in the ocean.

Riley is the only one of my siblings who loves the ocean even half as much as I do. When I'm home we go swimming almost everyday.

"Gracie?" her sweet voice prodded me, pulling me out of my reverie.

"When do you have to leave again?"

I smile down at her, ruffling her hair, "Not for a while yet," I reply, thinking of the three weeks until I have to leave and go work for the airline again.

"Good," she replies, satisfied, before wrapping her arms around me in a quick hug.

We walk up the sand until our small house comes into view. My whole family is already outside, a blanket set up in the sand for us to eat on. Our house is so small it's hard to fit seven people in the kitchen, so most of our meals are picnics outside.

My older sister Jess spies us first, "Hey guys!" she calls.

Riley breaks away from my side and runs over to her, eager for food. I watch her run with a smile on my face.

Whenever I'm home I feel complete. Leaving on my flights gets harder and harder each time I go, but it is necessary.

Seeing and exploring new places has always been part of who I am. They call to me, beckoning me. I want to go everywhere and experience everything. That's why I love my job as a flight attendant so much, I'm literally paid to travel the world.

The only bad thing about it is that I have to leave my family, but I don't want to think about that now. Right now, I'm with my family, and that's what matters. Right now, everything is perfect.

* * *

 **Anthony's POV**

I wander the corridors of the palace, my hands skimming the walls as I search for Kassidy or Jaymes.

Ever since the selection was announced, the castle has been hectic, and I need a reprieve.

"Anthony?" I jolted, spinning around to see a flash of blonde hair.

"Kassidy," I breath a sigh of relief, thankful for a familiar face.

"You need to help me, I'm dying here," I moaned to her, desperate for some company.

Kassidy giggled before grabbing my hand, swinging our arms back and forth as we walked down the hall.

"I'll help you if you help me," she challenged, giving me a sly smile.

"What do you need?" I groaned, not surprised that she needed a favor. While I loved Kassidy with all my heart, she could be a little bit ditzy, and she was often asking for favors and needing several extra copies for things she lost.

"I'm going through the girls, and I need company," she stated simply.

I wilted in relief. Finally, something to distract me.

"Race you there," I grinned mischievously at her before bounding down the hall and around the corner.

"You don't even know where we're going!" She called, but she raced after me anyway.

Around the corner, up the stairs, past the crooked painting, and right into the ugly vase the was placed right in front of Kassidy's door.

Hearing a crash, all the staff in the hall spun to face me, and I flushed, waving them off.

"It's nothing."

"I wouldn't call that nothing," Kassidy smiled down at me with a wicked glint in her eye before stepping over the broken pieces of the vase and into her study.

"Kass," I complained, but she just laughed.

"Here, come help me," she sat down at her desk, where hundreds of envelopes sat. Selection forms.

Several dozen of them appeared to have been sorted through, but there were hundreds more that needed sorting. I opened my mouth to complain, but Kassidy cut me off with a glare.

I began pulling envelopes out, skimming them over and mostly selecting them for their picture.

After working for half an hour, Kassidy finally spoke up.

"You know, I think the selection is going to be hard for you," she stated.

"Well, thanks for that encouragement," I said bitterly.

"Loneliness does not come from having no people around you, but being unable to communicate the things that seem important to you."

I stared at her for a moment. It was moments like these that I knew she was a genius, and I would never understand anything she told me.

"You need to open up. You can't live inside yourself." Somehow, Kassidy made it sound like she was talking about the weather, but I knew she meant this for me to take seriously. I hardly even noticed when she left the room, and I sat, contemplating.

Even before my parents death, I had been lonely, but then, I didn't have the whole world staring at me. Now that I was expected to be king, I knew I had closed up, but I didn't step back enough to care.

Maybe Kassidy was right, but it was too painful for me to admit. Maybe, just maybe, the selection would turn out to be a good thing instead of a bad thing.

What were the chances that I would find someone I wanted to spend the rest of my life with?

* * *

 **I know that Anthony's POV is really sucky, but I was just trying to write it so I could update for you guys. Gracie and Jemma's scenes were written mostly by jenhen48 and MissAmeliaYoung, with a few edits and additions from me, so shoutout to both of you! please submit some more mean girls, as well as 3s and 4s. please review!**

 **-kateeee**


	3. Ch2 - Little Things Make Big Differences

_**Tangled Hearts**_

 _ **Chapter 2: Little Things Make Big Differences  
**_

 **Hey! Sorry it took so long to update, I've been doing a lot with friends lately bc they all live on lakes(tho technically, I do too, but all we're allowed to do on it is fish:P) so I finally updated! this chapter introduces the next two main characters, and the first scene is written partly by jenhen48, but I added the second scene. and Claire's scene is written completely by UltimateMaxericaShipper, so shout out to both of them! anyway, please review! hope yall like it!  
**

 **(sidenote: I know the title chapter sucks, but i'm really uncreative and couldn't think of anything else. if any of yall have ideas, i'd love to hear them!)**

 **Marina Taylor**

I push the shovel into the soft dirt one more time, finally stretching the hole big enough to plant the flowers into it.

I reach over and gently pick up the plant in my gloved hands, transferring it to the hole where I pack the dirt around it. I reach behind me again, feeling the knots in my lower back from being bent over all day, and search for my trowel. I find it and give the plant one more finishing touch before standing up.

Standing up, I stretch, feeling my sore muscles begin to loosen now that I'm no longer sitting still. My knees hurt from crouching all day and I start to walk around to loosen them, surveying my work as I go.

My sister Nikki and I were hired to redo this garden for some Three. Flowers have always been my specialty, whereas Nikki prefers the more tedious work like mowing the grass and moving rocks.

The colorful plants are all in the ground, making a pretty loop around the fancy driveway and ornate fountain. I look for Nikki but don't see her.

As I'm about to call out for her, I see her come around from the side of the house, where she's been moving rocks to make room for a fence.

"Need some help?" I call.

She surveys my work too, "If you're done."

I nod and walk over to her, "I'm only going to stay for another ten minutes, then Clara will be done with school and I need to pick her up. Could you collect my pay for me?"

"Of course," Nikki nods, "and thanks for getting Clara."

Clara is only eleven, and since all of us have jobs, we rotate picking her up from school. Today is my day, and if I'm lucky I can get her home before any of my other siblings are done with work.

We'll have the house to ourselves for an hour, and I might even have time to squeeze in a quick nap before I have to leave again.

I work several jobs and I have to serve drinks at the bar tonight. I hate doing it but my family needs the money. I work two jobs so that Clara doesn't have to do any and won't have to drop out of school like I did. I want her to be the first Taylor to graduate.

"Come on," Nikki says, leading me to the back where she'd been working.

I follow her and start helping her dig the rocks out and haul them away. The whole time she's jabbering about the Selection, trying to get me to enter.

However, my mind's already made up: I'm refusing to enter a silly competition. I don't need to lose a day of pay to enter some contest I have no shot of winning.

Nobody in their right mind would pick me when there are girls like Nikki out there. Gorgeous, funny, talented Nikki. Nikki who could charm anyone with just a smile.

The Selection is much more her thing than mine and I'll let her have it. I'm just not meant for things like that. I'm meant to stay here in Waverly, with Clara, my flowers, and my horrible night job. That's how it's always been and always will be, and I'm not delusional enough to think any different. I've resigned myself to my fate and there's no point in thinking differently, all that leads to is a big heap of disappointment and heartbreak.

Following Nikki around the corner, I shove the rocks aside as we fall into silence.

"You should enter the selection, you know. If not for yourself, then because it would give us a better chance of getting in, and you know how much that would help Clara." Nikki reminds me. I groan and turn away.

"You know I'm not doing that," I moan for the 50th time. Nikki gave me a pleading look that I couldn't resist. "I'll think about it," I mumble. Nikki seems to be content and leaves me in peace.

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

I sit at the kitchen table, staring at the stupid selection form. It's pristine white paper catches the light and reflects of the shiny surface. I have been staring at it for the past 10 minutes, debating on whether or not I should fill it out. Nikki's words keep echoing in my brain, jumbling into each other and confusing me.

Did I want to enter the selection? No way. But could I deny the benefits of it if I somehow got in? There was no doubting it.

Sighing, I hesitantly pick up the pen sitting across the table and stare at the paper, as if it will somehow give me answers.

As much as I didn't want to do this, I knew what it could mean to me and my family. Nikki was right about everything. With two girls, we had a higher chance of getting selected, even if it was doubtless going to be Nikki, and even if I was in for one day, we would have enough money to help out Clara and the whole family. And if I stayed in longer...

No. I pushed those thoughts from my mind. It wasn't worth it. I wasn't going to enter some stupid competition that I was going to loose for a chance to get money. But a nagging thought still kept at it: If I could stay in for long enough, I could help get Clara to college...

Right then, I made a decision. I was already regretting it, but I knew it needed to be done.

Picking up a pen, I start scribbling and filling out the selection form, knowing that this will be either my biggest regret or best decision.

* * *

 **Claire Morrison**

The bell that hung over the glass door Claire had entered for all of her life jingled as she pushed it inwards, the simple sound bringing a smile to her face. The faint smell of ink and old books filled her nose, and she breathed deeply, inhaling one of her favorite smells in the whole world.

Claire had grown up in The Booking Glass, the bookstore her father owned, and even at 17, she still found comfort around the dusty volumes of Shakespeare and other great authors who had shared their gifts for the world.

As she entered, she was greeted by the friendly voices of several people. Without her glasses, it was hard for Claire to tell exactly who was speaking until she got closer to them.

Her father was where he always was, behind the counter helping customers. His graying hair was slightly disheveled as if he had been on an adventure in the small, two-story brownstone, and his spectacles were askew.

Noticing his daughter's entrance, he gave her a wink before turning his attention back to the elderly customer he was helping.

Claire made her way up the spiraling staircase, almost running into someone as she wasn't paying attention.

"Watch it!" the boy snapped, grumbling as he bent down to pick up the books he had supposed to be re-shelving. As she leaned to help him, recognition flashed across his face as he realized who she was. "Oh, sorry Claire! I didn't realize who it was. I've been dropping these things all day, trying to put them in the right place." He gestured to the books he clutched in his left hand, using his right to brush his platinum blond hair out of his face.

"No worries, Levi." She joked with her best friend, standing up. "But, you probably shouldn't have told me that... You never know what trouble I'll get into, mixing up books for you upstairs." The brunette's face lit up with a smile, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement at her statement. Both of them knew that never in a million years would Claire ever mix up the places of books. It would only cause her OCD to freak her out.

Levi rolled his eyes, and used his free hand to rub her hair affectionately, the way Claire's brother might. The boy stood over a foot taller than the slight brunette, and loved to rub it in her face.

"You?" He teased, turning to call over his shoulder as he walked down the stairs. "Trouble? I highly doubt that, Claire-bear."

The smile remained on Claire's lips, but it dropped for the briefest instant. Levi's words were perfectly true; never in her life had she even been any kind of trouble. But that didn't mean she couldn't, if she wanted to be. She huffed under her breath, quietly.

She could be just as much trouble as Levi, with all his talk against the government and the skating just under the nose of the police, if she wanted to. Of course, she didn't. But that didn't mean it was impossible.

Her feet carried her up rest of the steps and into the small, reading area that she referred to as the loft. Two plush, brown couches and several smaller chairs in a circular pattern around a coffee table made it look like it belonged in a living room, not a store. However, it had been Claire's mission to make the store homey, some place people could read and feel safe. For as long as she could remember, she had always found solace in books, and she wanted other people to do the same. The Booking Glass didn't have the largest cliental around, but the customers who did come were dedicated and appreciative of the serene atmosphere the store provided, which made Claire's heart swell. Interior design was just like fashion to Claire, a way to be unique and special.

Plus, she had really wanted comfortable couches when she and her siblings hung out in their many Read-A-Thons.

She found her sister curled up on one of the couches with a dog-eared copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Callie was so absorbed in the story, she barely glanced up as Claire sat down next to her and picked up the letters that she assumed had come in the mail that lay on the table.

"Anything interesting?" She asked her sister, who appeared not to have heard her. Smiling slightly, she tapped Callie on the shoulder to get her attention before repeating the question.

"I don't know, honestly. I just brought them when I stopped to pick them up from the house, like Dad asked. I didn't actually look through them yet." She told Claire, who was already flipping through them, looking for something interesting.

"Bill, bill, magazine, bill. Wait-" she paused as her hand landed on something different. Two things actually. Two glossy envelopes from the Royal Palace in Angeles, identical except for the name they were addressed to.

"One for you," Claire handed her sister the letter that read Miss Callisa Grace Morrison, and tore open the one addressed to her as her heart beat a mile a minute in her chest.

Callie barely looked at the envelope before setting it down and continuing to read about Alice. Beside her, Claire squealed when she read the formal letter, inviting her to apply for the Selection.

"Callie!" She tugged on her older sister's arm, trying to get her to pay attention. "Oh, Callie, it's for the Selection!"

Slightly annoyed at being pulled away from the novel, Callie set the book down and mumbled sarcastically, "No, really?" As if the Royal Palace wrote to them all the time. However, she did pick up her letter and open it, taking out the form that was enclosed with the invitation to apply. "I'm assuming by your excitement that you're going to apply." She asked, though it was far more a statement than a question. Claire had been fangirling over the Selection from the moment the Selection had been announced. Claire was many things, but she was not subtle, and she often did not keep her "cool" when she got excited about things.

"Of course!" Claire beamed, her voice almost an octave higher than it usually was in her excitement, standing up with her letter and pretending to twirl around the Loft, as if she was in a ball gown. "Oh, Callie! Can't you just imagine all those beautiful dresses and accessories. And the jewelry. And, oh my gosh, the shoes! It would be a dream come true."

Callie wore a bemused expression on her face watching her younger sister and holding back a laugh. "And, of course," she added, "Don't forget about the handsome Prince Anthony."

Claire gasped innocently. "Oh, him too, of course." Getting a little dizzy from spinning, she plopped down next to her sister rather ungracefully.

"Him, who?" A new voice asked, and both girls looked up to see their younger brother, Calden. His tousled blond hair was the exact same shade Callie's was, and his brown eyes were confused as he examined the grins on both his sister's faces and the letters in their hands. "Hey!" He complained good-naturedly as he sat down on the floor by his siblings. "How come you get mail and I don't?"

Callie held the envelope out of his reach to tease him and adopted a haughty expression. "The him is Prince Anthony. And we were invited to apply for the Selection! No one wants YOU at the palace, Cals."

Her brother stuck his tongue out of her. "I doubt anyone wants you, either, Callie. All you'd do is stick your nose in everyone's business."

Putting her hand to her heart, Callie kicked Caden lightly with the toe of her boot. "Excuse you!" She yelled, as he pretended to fall to the floor in agony. "Say that again, I dare you!" She continued to kick him, fairly softly, as he squirmed on the floor.

"Claire-bear!" He yelled, attempting to role away from Callie and her boots. "Help me!"

"Oh, ok." Claire said, but she wasn't really listening to her siblings squabbling. Her eyes were still eagerly examining the letter. Here it was. Her chance to be brave, to have an adventure. To do something with her life. Here, in Dakota, she was simply Claire Morrison. The goody-two-shoes, the genius girl who had graduated high school at 16. The peacemaker, the constant angel. At the palace, in Angeles... She could be so much more.

Claire had no idea who she wanted to be. But, as she listened to the sound of pages turning and the soft giggles of her two siblings, she knew it was okay. Maybe she didn't know who to be here.

But she knew exactly where she could find out.

Smiling to herself, she turned away from the Selection form and went to join her siblings.

* * *

 **There it is! Sorry it took so long to update, but I've been really sick with strep throat and scarlet fever, and I didn't have the chance. shout out to Roses323, EileenAbbey, XOStarbrightXO, alexiaroosenhaan, UltimateMaxericaShipper, jenhen48, MissAmeliaYoung, morethanjustastory, Guest, and xxKITTENxx for reviewing! i honestly love reading your reviews so much, please keep reviewing! and also, mickymouse1234 has a syoc called We All Fall Down, and she needs more characters, so please submit some! thanks! xoxo  
**


	4. Ch3 - Jealousy is a Sin

_**Tangled Hearts ch. 3 - Jealousy is a Sin  
**_

Hey! Sorry this chapter only has one girls pov, but I felt bad for not updating and wanted to get this chapter done. I've been on vacation in Hawaii for the past two weeks, and their was absolutely no wifi, so I couldn't update! I appreciate the reviews I got, but I was a little discouraged with only 6. Please review guys! It really motivates me, and I love reading them! and if you have a pinterest, please check mine out! my name is the same as it is on here. thanks for reading! hope you like it!

* * *

 **Cinnamon Maison  
**

I sighed, trudging through the door as I threw my apron off and hung it over a wobbly, wooden chair. I had been working all day, and was ready to crash. Falling onto the moth eaten couch, I felt my eyelids slide shut for a second before the door opened with a bang, jolting me up from my place.

Reni and Luli, my little sisters, came barging in, waving their arms and shouting excitedly. Luli came up to me, her white blonde hair in a tangled mess flying behind her.

"Cinnary! Look what came in the mail!" Luli giggled, holding out a now crinkled white envelope. I took it from her, after giving her an endearing smile and a little squeeze.

"Open it! Open it!" Luli encouraged, bouncing on her heels as I slowly uncreased the paper, careful not to wrinkle it.

My eyes widened as I read the letter, and Luli grew more and more impatient with every passing second.

"What does it say?" Luli demanded, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"It's a selection letter," I tell her, still staring at the paper in awe. A million thoughts are wrestling in my head, jumbling my brain as I read the paper once more, but more slowly this time.

"I don't see what's so special about it," Reni grumbled from across the room. She elbows were resting on the wooden table, her white blonde hair, so similar to mine, flowing back in it's natural waves. Subconsciously, I reached up to pat my own hair, only to notice that my pale curls were coming out of the tight braid I had previously put them in for work.

I had been with Umika, my employer and friend, all day, listening to her talk about the selection and the prince and school and other silly things while I worked. I was her maid, and though most girls, even Twos, didn't get their own personal maid, being the mayor's daughter, Umika got special privileges.

Snapping back to attention, I gave Reni a small but pitying smile, knowing what this was about. Her usually happy self had been grumpy lately, mostly out of jealousy for not being able to enter the selection.

Turning my attention back to Luli, I ruffled her hair as she got up to go sit by her sister.

Even being 8, Luli was still my baby sister, but being the sweet soul she was, she didn't mind us referring to her like that.

I looked back down at the selection letter, letting my mind wander at all the possibilities this brought.

I had seen Prince Anthony before, obviously. He was very cute, but that wasn't the only thing that had caught my attention. My heart was pulled toward him because I knew how he felt.

Losing my own mother was, no doubt, the hardest time of my life, and I still miss her so much everyday, so I couldn't even imagine what Anthony was feeling. He had lost his whole family and was now expected to rule the whole country and find a wife. However, I got a little giddy at the idea of entering the selection.

What if I fell in love with Anthony? What if he fell in love with me? It would be such a wonderful fairytale... I had heard stories of selections in the past, and had seen the past King Derek's selection. Watching him and the Josie fall in love was like a fairytale come to life, and I could only imagine how wonderful it would be if it happened to me.

Snapping out of my daydream, I noticed that Luli and Reni were arguing, and my dad had come in and was scooping soup out of a large pot.

My joints groaned as I struggled off the couch, bringing the selection form with me.

"What's that you got there, Cinnary?" My dad asked me while pouring a generous portion of soup into the bowl in front of me.

"It's a selection form," I informed him before digging into the soup, carefully sliding the envelope out of reach so it wouldn't be spilled on.

"Are you going to enter?" My dad looked curious, if not a little distant, but Reni and Luli were focused wholly on me.

"Of course she is! You have to, Cinnary!" Luli rapidly spoke between mouthfuls of broth carrots. Reni looked a little sullen, and eyed the envelope with jealously.

"What about you, Reni? Do you think I should enter?" I questioned my 12 year old sister, solely to see how she would respond. Reni took a mouthful of soup before replying slowly,

"I guess if you want to. But will you invite me to the palace if you get selected?" Her pleading expression took me off guard for a moment, and she looked focused back on her soup with a sour expression on her face.

"Of course I would," I assured her hurriedly, and her face lightened a bit.

"Not to put any pressure on you, but it would also give us a lot of income, and you know how much we need it," my father told me in low tones. I shifted in my seat. If I hadn't been sure about it before, I definitely was now. I would get to have the chance to fall in love with the prince and send my family money at the same time! Two birds with one stone.

Shoving my soup out of the way, I pulled the selection form back to me and rummaged through the drawers before finding a pen. Looking down, I carefully filled out the form, letting my imagination wander on all the wonderful things this could lead to.

* * *

 **Kassidy Holden**

I rapped on Anthony's door, cautiously creaking it open before poking my head in. He was having one of those days. Not that anyone could blame him. Derick had always been Anthony's role model and hero, and he had looked up to his older brother in awe and admiration.

He tried his best to walk in Derick's footsteps, but it was hard for him, losing all his family and taking the responsibility of the country.

Peeking inside, I saw Anthony laying on his bed, his face buried in pillows. Creeping in, I cleared my throat to get his attention.

"Jaymes? Jaymes, is that you?" Anthony mumbled through his pillows, his voice gruff. I smiled a bit before coming to sit on the edge of his bed and replying.

"It's me," I chirped, as cheerfully as I could, hoping to lift his mood. Anthony lifted his head in what looked like a tenuous amount of effort. He normally handsome face looked horrible. He had dark circled under his eyes, and his cheeks looked pale and hollow. His dark hair was a tangled mess, and a dark scruff was growing thicker on his chin. Tear stains ran down his cheeks, and a pang of sympathy went through me for my best friend.

"Oh. Hey Kass," he mumbled before flopping back into his pile of pillows.

"Anthony, you need to get up, eat something, get outside," I said, concern evident in my voice.

"That's what Jaymes said," he growled, and I winced. "Sorry," he apologized, cringing as he turned to face me.

"It's okay," I whispered tenderly, reaching out to brush hair out of his eyes. Anyone who saw us would think we were closer than friends, but I cared for him as my brother, and I didn't want to see him hurt. In the same way, Anthony was protective of me and watched out for me like a big brother would for his sister.

Anthony groaned, turning around so he lay on his back.

"Come on Andie, I want to go fly a kite," I joked lightly, referring to the last time we had tried to fly kites, and it had turned out disastrously.

Anthony let out a bark of laughter before wincing as if it had hurt him. I cringed, hurting for the only family member I had ever had.

I knew how hard it was for him, and I sensed that right now, Anthony just needed someone to be with him, so I laid next to him in silence.

After a while, he sighed and turned to face me.

"Sometimes I'm jealous." He stated simply, his lips breaking into a smile at my confused expression.

"Of who?"

"Jaymes." I couldn't hide my surprise, and he sighed, getting ready to explain himself.

"He always seems so put together, and he has such a perfect life. He always knows just what to say and is so charming. He doesn't need to take on the responsibility of the country, but if he needed to, he could easily. He never complains and is always so smart and puts up with me and helps me out. He's be such a better ruler than me. Why can't I be more like him?" Anthony ranted, pouring his frustration and sadness into his voice.

Reaching out to rub his shoulder, I tried my best to comfort him. "You're great in your own ways, too. But if that doesn't help, then just always remember that jealousy is a sin," I teased in a light voice, knowing that now, he didn't need a long, philosophical lecture, but instead, a friend to joke around with.

Anthony laughed and sat up. "Thanks Kass," he said gratefully. "I'll try to keep my raging jealousy hormones in check." I laughed, glad to see him back to his joking self.

He proceeded to climb out of bed and into the bathroom, and a short while later, I heard the shower turn on.

Smiling to myself, I left the room and prayed that some girl in the selection would help ease the burden on Anthony's shoulders and help him become the man I always knew he could be.

* * *

Here it is! I hope I got your characters right! and my pinterest has been kind of behind lately, but I have all the girls up on it now, and I'm planning on making boards for all the main characters who don't have one already. thanks so much to XOStarbrightXO, MastaGamerita, FryllaBrille201, L.C. Carroway, Demigod18, and Queen1Gold for reviewing! reviews really motivate me, and I love reading them! thanks! and btw, 28/35 spots are filled, so hurry and submit! i'll be very picky with the last girls, so be very detailed!


	5. Ch4 - Trust No One

_**Tangled Hearts ch 4 - Trust No One  
**_

 **I haven't had wifi all week, so even though I finished this chapter yesterday, I couldn't upload it till today, so instead, I just made it longer. Sorry that the last chapter was pretty short, but I wanted to make it up to you in this one. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! shoutout to** morethanjustastory **,** Sabinethafangirl **,** XOStarbrightXO **,** FryllaBrille201 **,** IMadeUReadThisI **,** Queen1Gold **,** UltimateMaxmericaShipper **,** alexiaroosenhaan **,** jenhen48 **,** wolfofstark **, and** demigod18 **! thanks so much to all of yall for reviewing! it means so much to me, and motivates me to keep writing! so please review! hope you like this chapter, and sorry the title sucks, I couldn't think of anything lol. also, IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE AT THE BOTTOM! PLEASE READ!  
**

Girls in this chapter: **Alexa Upton** and **Colette Blakley**

 **Alexa Briana Upton**

I sighed, using a rag to wipe the sweat off my forehead. The factory was sweltering hot, and I was craving a reprieve, even though the year round heat of Sumner wouldn't be much help.

Glancing at the clock, I let out a sigh of relief. My shift was over, and I could finally get out of the deathly hot factory full of smoke and running machinery.

I may be a Four, but my conditions couldn't get much worse, with me and my 3 siblings working 9-12 hours a day at the cotton factory to scrape by and provide for ourselves and our mother, who was already paralyzed and was now diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Heaving the heavy metal door open, I stepped into a fresh breeze and felt like I was waking up from a long nightmare. The moment was ruined when I tried to walk forward and tripped over my own feet onto the weed encrusted sidewalk leading out of the factory. Cameron stifled a laugh, while Brooklyn giggled, her chocolate brown curls bouncing around her rosy cheeks. I couldn't help but laugh along, pushing myself off the ground and standing to join them.

"Did you just fall?" Jackson asked, smirking, his dark hair somehow still styled perfectly after a whole day of work.

"No, I attacked the ground."

"Backwords?"

"I'm freakin talented!"

Jackson let out a bark of laughter, and Brooklyn giggled some more, and even Cameron cracked a grin.

Grabbing Brooklyn's hand, I pulled the 9 year old forward and began the walk home.

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

"Where's Jackson?" Kate, my best friend, broke through our front door, her voice laced with desperation and her face a mask of anxious concern.

"Upstairs," I breathed nervously, walking over to her. "Why?"

It wasn't a secret that I was very involved in my brother and best friend's live life, and I shipped them more than anyone else in the school(which is saying something, because they were the 2 most popular kids at school, and everyone thought they were adorable).

"He saw me getting my picture taken for the selection," Kate confessed, chewing on her lip as she watched for my reaction.

"Why would you do that?" I didn't mean to sound condescending, but Kate must have took it that way, and flinched.

"I don't know, because I could be a princess! It could be fun! And besides, there's a one in a million chance I'm chosen! I wouldn't have entered if I actually thought I would get in!" Kate cried, her voice raising.

"Shhhh, it's okay, I'm sure he'll understand," I comforted her, but it was in vain.

"Can I talk to him?" Nodding, I ushered her upstairs and knocked on Jackson's door.

"Hey," I flounced in, hoping to set the tension at ease.

"Hey, super klutz," Jackson smirked at me, his wet hair flipping on his face, looking strikingly similar to his twin. While Jackson and Cameron may have been twins, they weren't even close to identical, with Cameron's dirty blonde hair and blue eyes and Jackson's dark hair bordering black and brown eyes. The only thing similar was their thick, curly hair that all the Upton's had inherited.

Sticking my tongue out at him, I gestured to Kate, who walked in."You have a visitor," I announced, before exiting the room.

"Ahh, you," Jackson fake gasped, leaning back in his chair and twirling an invisible mustache. I stifled a giggle before closing the door. I definitely would have eavesdropped, but Jackson's stupid walls had to be so thick that no sound could get through them.

Sighing, I trudged away and hoped for the best. Noticing a pristine white envelope on the counter, I wandered over and picked it up, curious at what this neat letter was doing in our mess of a house.

Scanning the contents, I let out a little gasp as I read and re-read it. The selection form. I watched the report, and though I had knew this was coming, I wasn't at all expecting it.

Carrying the letter with me, I grabbed a banana and a pen, walking back to Jackson's door with the envelope still in my hand. Making myself comfortable, I sat down outside, pausing a moment to listen for any noise before uncapping my pen and scribbling down answers for the form.

Taking a bit out of my banana, I put my ear back in the door, and heard the faint noise of escalated whispers, and strained to hear more. Catching nothing, I sighed and turned my attention back the the paper. I was debating if I should write my hair color as light brown or caramel when the door flew open, and I fell inside, my banana being crushed under my body.

"Told you so, Jackson smirked at Kate. She playfully shoved his shoulder in return, and I breathed a sigh of relief to see them flirting.

"My banana," I gasped, moaning as I attempted to scrape it off the carpet. Jackson gave me an annoyed look before turning back to Kate.

"See what I have to live with?" He said, exasperated, and I chucked the remains of my now crushed banana at his head. It hit his nose perfectly, and I couldn't help but grin in satisfaction as he tried to wipe the gooey mess off his face, only succeeding in getting it all over his shirt and making more of a mess. Kate giggled, waking over to him and giving him a peck on the lips. Deciding that I had received my cue, I exited and left them to themselves.

Stepping out of the room, I tripped, groaning as I noticed the selection form was still half finished and waiting for me.

Picking it up, I considered completing it. Kate was right, I wouldn't be selected, but think of the benefits if I was! Not only could I afford better treatments for my mom's cancer, but I could also improve all of our living conditions, and little Brooklyn wouldn't need to work anymore, and Cameron and Jackson could go to college... that is, assuming they don't get full ride scholarships for their basketball and baseball skills.

Besides, it would be so fun to go to the palace and meet other girls and be in a selection... I allowed myself to indulge in the thought a little longer, even though I knew the chances of me being selected were pretty slim. Not that I wasn't pretty, with my caramel colored hair and tight curls, tan skin, gray blue eyes, and willowy stature, but compared to some, I was average. Not ugly, but certainly not beautiful, either.

Finishing up the form, I let my imagination run wild over all the possibilities this could bring.

* * *

 **Colette Marie Blakley**

I turned the page of the magazine, my eyes skimming the articles and pictures, but my heart not into it.

The Selection had been announced on the report the other night, and it was all I could think about. I had been waiting for this my whole entire life, and now it was about to happen.

Apprehensiveness, muddled with excitement, bubbled inside me, and I took several deep breathes to calm myself down. I had no doubt that I would get in the selection, with my caste of One and modeling career and straight, silky blonde hair, blue eyes, fair, smooth skin, a sweet, innocent face, and a tall, slender build, but it was the competition I was worried about.

I had prepared my whole life for this, and my parents and brother were relying on me to play my part and help out the family. My brother had just recently come to visit me, reminding me of the stakes if I didn't win this thing. I was glad to see him, to be reminded of my importance, but it also planted a seed of doubt.

What if I wasn't enough? What if I couldn't win, and I let my whole family down?

 _Don't think like that,_ I scolded myself. _I'm beautiful. I'm talented. I know how to win Anthony's heart._ Building my confidence up again, I relaxed and allowed my toes to sift through the soft sand of Angeles.

The salty air and sound of the waves crashing on the beach always calmed me down.

"Hey girl," I heard the chipper voice of my friend Athena call.

"Hey," a real smile worked it's way onto my lips as I looked at her.

Athena was my closest friend, with her bubbly and party going personality, and she had helped me out in the modeling industry more than one time, leaving her in the place of my role model.

"You coming to the party tonight? It's at my house, and there's sure to be lots of cute boys," Athena winked at me, and I flashed her a grin.

"I'd love to, but I have that photo shoot, remember? Besides, I'm signing up for the selection, and want to get my form in before I leave," I explained, tracing shapes in the sand with my toes.

"Oooo, you're signing up too? We should fill out our forms together!" Athena said excitedly, bouncing on her toes, causing her short brown curls to bounce.

"Definitely! I was just about to head home to fill it out, you want to come?" I asked, pulling my sunglasses off and slipping my flip flops on.

"You know it!" Athena's laughed, her eyes sparkling.

Pushing all my doubts and insecurities about the selection away, I followed her back to my mansion.

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

"Hair... short brunette... eyes... brown..." Athena spoke as she filled out her form, her large, bouncy penmanship a large contrast to my elegant cursive.

"Should I put that I enjoy chess or does that sound to nerdy?" I asked, wanting to perfect my already top notch form.

"Does Anthony like chess?" Athena asked, her eyes focused on her own form.

"Yes," I said decidedly, adding the activity to my list of likes. Double checking, I skimmed the paper to make sure all the blanks were filled out. "I think I'm done," I announced, clicking my pen and leaning over to check Athena's form.

"Let me read it," Athena requested. "You want it to be perfect, right?" She pushed, noticing my hesitancy. Sliding the paper over, I decided there was no problem with letting my friend see my form. Even if she did copy it, I was sure to get in. Mentally reviewing my form, went through it.

 _Full Name: Colette Marie Blakley_

 _Age: 17_

 _Province: Lakely_

 _Caste: Two_

 _Occupation: Model_

 _Hair: Straight, silky, light blonde_

 _Eyes: Round, baby blue_

 _Skin: Fair, smooth, no achne_

 _Height/Weight/Body Shape: 5'9", 155lbs, slender_

 _Languages Spoken: English, French, Italian, Spanish_

 _Likes: Being at the beach, shopping, modeling, horseback riding, white chocolate, swimming, soccer, magazines, reading, chess_

 _Talents: Modeling, horseback riding, swimming, soccer_

Many of my likes and talents included Anthony's favorite things. For example, I knew that he played soccer since he was 8, and he still loved it, and I had been enrolled in soccer from a young age, and I was good at it.

"Wow, you're going to be selected for sure," Athena admired my form, a little jealously, before standing up. "Now lets go get out pictures taken! I wouldn't want to hold you up for your photo shoot!"

Her loud voice snapped me back into attention, and I followed her out the door.

The selection wasn't going to be easy, but I was ready for it. I was willing to do whatever it took to help out my family.

* * *

 **Jaymes Duke**

I strode down the hall, heading toward the room where the forms of the selected piled up, slowly being sorted through. I had just got word from a spy, someone willing to infiltrate the palace and give me information, allowing me to take the throne from Anthony.

Turning the corner, I nearly walked straight into the devil himself.

"Anthony," I said, steadying him with my arm as he nearly fell over.

"Jaymes," he sighed. "I've been needing to speak with you." Groaning internally, I spread my hands out and nodded toward him.

"What do you need?"

"I have a question for you." Anthony looked especially nervous, more than usual. He ran a hand through his hair, which I noticed to be wet. Kassidy must have gotten him to shower. I almost smiled. That woman could get him to do anything. I would need to take care of that.

"Hit at it," I smirked at him, waiting for him to unload.

"What cologne do you use?" I stood for a moment before a sly grin worked it's way on my face. Slapping Anthony on the back, I strode forward.

"Glad to see you got your sense of humor back," I smirked at him, his usual charming little grin back on his face.

"Really though, I want to know," Anthony pestered, quickening his pace to catch up to me.

"Why?"

"I'm about to have my selection, I need to smell good," he explained, his voice almost whining, as we neared the door to the room where the forms were being sorted.

"I'll make a deal with you. I'll tell you what cologne I use if you let me help you sort through these forms," I offered, gesturing toward the open door where piles of envelopes lay.

Anthony gave me a strange look, but grinned anyway.

"You've got yourself a deal," he said, shaking my outstretched hand. "Though why you'd want to sort through those, I have no idea. It's a nightmare in there," he said with a shudder, and I grinned.

"Wish me luck then," I smirked before walking into the door. Anthony walked away, without a second thought.

The kid was almost too easy to manipulate. It was actually rather surprising, considering how perceptive he was, that he never noticed that anything was up. But he came running to me, over and over, like a pathetic puppy looking for it's master.

I sneered, sorting through envelopes. I used to care for him, even love him, but that part of me had died, and I know was determined to take back what he had taken from me.

Scanning the surrounding forms, I looked at the brunette in my hand, then moved a couple forms aside. A triumphant smile spread through my face.

I had found what I was looking for.

Glancing around, I made sure no one was watching as I placed the form in the basket, confident that this was the key to me taking control of the throne.

However, I still had to be careful. Even with a selected on my side, I could trust no one.

* * *

 **Whooo! 2,813 words! exactly! that might be the longest chapter so far. i'll try to keep giving yall long chapters if you want them!**

 ***IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!***

 **I'm closing the syoc, I still have a couple spots open, but I am going to put my own throwaway characters in those spots. if you still really want to submit a character, you can pm me, but they better be detailed and creative and just plain out wonderful for me to accept them. also, if you want to submit a character that may not be part of the syoc but you want part of the story(royalty from other countries, visitors to the castle, castle staff, etc.) then pm me and we can talk about it. just be creative!**

 ***END OF AUTHOR'S NOTE***

 **i think that's it! so please review and tell me what you thought of the girls and jaymes! bye!**

 **-Kate**


	6. Ch5 - When Life Gives You Lemons

_**Tangled Hearts ch 5 - When Life Gives You Lemons  
**_

 **Holllaaaa! IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE! PLEASE READ! so, I've decided to lower the number of main characters to 8, which means, dun dun dun... this is the last one. yes, echo is the last main character, but I'm leaving the syoc open till August 4th, and after that, I'm closing it for real. However, if you really want to submit a character, I'd love to accept other kinds of girls/boys(ambassadors, royals, etc), so PM me and we can talk about it! and if you reserved a province, same rules apply: if you don't get your character in by the fourth, I'm opening your spot up again.  
**

 **thanks to** UltimateMaxmericaShipper **for Echo, and she wrote the first two scenes for her, so shoutout to** UltimateMaxmericaShipper **! thanks for this amazing character!**

* * *

 **Echo Casey Roland  
**

"Hey!" A shrill voice behind me yelled, a rough hand shoving me forward. Not seeing it coming, like everything, I'm unable to catch my balance in time to keep myself from falling all the way to the ground.

As I fall, I stretch out my hands in what I hope is enough to slow my decent, but not enough apparently to catch myself. There's a sharp pain in both of my palms and my form has escaped my grasp.

The girl that pushed me is giggling behind me, I can hear as much. I try not to let my heart rate increase as I brush myself off, before wondering what I should do about my lost form. It has to be around here somewhere, it couldn't have flown all that far.

"Move up!" People are shouting at me for holding up the line, as if they think I'm being stupid sitting on the ground. The form is three feet away from her, they must be thinking. How stupid is this girl?

I try hard to keep the tears out of my eyes as I fumble around, but it's to no avail. My fingers can't find the feeling of the smooth paper and it's far to loud to hear any rustling in the photography studio.

Behind me, I can sense the presence of several dozen girls like me, all eagerly awaiting the chance to send in their forms, the chance to be a Princess. Atlin isn't the largest province, but it's always been one of the most enthusiastic when it came to the Selection. Thousands of girls... Far too many for my liking.

Struggling to get to my feet, I decide it's no use. I can't find the form, and they won't take my picture if I don't present it. The tears start to leak, much as I try to bat them away.

You're far tougher than this, Echo, I tell myself. Don't go crying over stupid things or people will think you're weaker than you already are.

But it's useless to tell myself, because I've only been here for five minutes and I've already failed. All I've ever done is fail.

There's a soft tap on my shoulder, and I whirl around to appear normal. It doesn't make any difference to me whether my back or my face is showing, but the average person likes to make eye contact when talking. A voice, masculine surprisingly, catches me a little off guard.

"This is yours, isn't it?" The man asks. Judging by sound of his voice, he's in his late teens or early twenties. A brother, or a boyfriend maybe, who got dragged along. He's rustling something and my heart leaps at the fact it sounds like my letter.

I try my best not to let panic settle in. "Uh, yeah..." I say, as naturally as I can. I don't know exactly where he's standing, because of the noise in the room, but I hate explaining that... I guess there's no other option in this case, however. "I mean, I think so..."

There's surprise in the boy's voice and probably on his face, as well. "You think so? I'm sorry, but I thought I saw you drop this. Don't you recognize it?" There's no anger in his voice, but I almost wish there was. I know this type of person, kind and helpful. When I tell him, there's going to be pity. And I hate people pitying me.

Biting my lip before deciding to come clean, I duck my head slightly. "No, I'm sorry... I mean, it probably is mine, but, er. I can't see it. Anything, actually. Which is why I couldn't find it in the first place."

There's a stunned silence, and even the girls behind (I'm guessing) the man have quieted. I can almost feel the guilt in the air. Their thoughts: Oh no. She isn't... Is she?

"Wait, so you mean you're..." He trails off, clearly uncomfortable saying it.

"Blind, yes." I nod curtly. As it always does, there's pain in saying the bitter words. I doubt the sharp feeling will ever go away. I've been completely blind since I was seven years old, a residual effect after a particularly bad illness settled in my eyes. Telling people this, however, has always been one of the hardest things. Conversations tend to swing either one of two ways: disbelief or pity. I don't know which one I like less.

Though I can't see him, I can tell I've made the boy uncomfortable. He clears his throat slightly, and suddenly there's the feeling of paper being thrust into my hand. I quickly tighten my grip on it, before I lose it again. "Here you go, then." He hands it to me and then he's gone by the sound of the retreating footsteps.

"Look..." One of the girls from behind me starts, probably to apologize, but I return facing forwards.

"Save it." I snap, a little colder than I meant it, and there's no more conversation from that group, as far as I can tell. I didn't actually mean to hurt her feelings, though she did push me, but the longer I'm here, the worse my headache gets. My senses, other than sight of course, are very acute. The smell of 400 different perfumes and the endless chattering is killing me. I knew it was a bad idea to come.

My name is called to the photography set up, where the actual snapping is done. I follow where I heard the voice coming from, and manage to make it down the hallway with little problem. Unfortunately, that was all I was able to do. "Sit here, please." The photographer must be a little frazzled, as his voice seemed strained.

My cheeks instantly flush, and my head ducks again to my utter embarrassment. They had no idea, I try to tell myself, they won't be offended when I ask. But I can't get the words out of my mouth, and instead I stand there making a fool out of myself. My mouth opens and closes, probably making me look like a fish out of water.

The photographer is getting annoyed that I'm not listening to him. His voice is sharper than last time.

"Miss, please! Sit over there. We don't have all day."

I hate when people yell at me, especially because of something that I should have been able to do. I try to not think "if I was normal", but it worms it's way in anyway. My cheeks are probably burning up, but at least the tears have yet to fall.

"I... Can't see where I'm supposed to be sitting." My voice is weak, like the sound of a child's. I'm sixteen years old, and I still seem like I'm about twelve. I've been told I look much younger than my age as well, not that I would ever know. Halfway through the last word, my voice breaks. I shouldn't have come, I shouldn't have come.

"I-I-I'm... I'm blind." I manage to stutter.

Something about what I said must have softened the photographer. Footsteps approach and then a soft hand guides me to where I'm supposed to be. They let me hold my letter, or maybe they checked it. I can't tell. All I know is that I'm still holding it when the photographer tells me to say cheese.

"Over here, darling!" She says, and then realizes her mistake. "To your left a little more... Perfect! Now smile!"

Smile... So many people have told me to smile, to be optimistic. It took the doctor's almost a year of different medicines and operations before they finally pronounced me permanently blind. Look on the bright side, people have told me throughout my life. You could have died! Isn't being blind better than being dead?

As if they would know. As if they would understand.

If anyone ever looked at the scars on my wrists, they'd understand that there were times that I'd rather have died. Being blind... All I feel is useless. The world doesn't have a place for poor, little, blind Echo, the girl who's too frail to walk long distances and can't see even what's directly in front of her face. If they think there's a positive way to look at it, they're the ones who are sightless to the truth.

Because how can there be a bright side when all I see is darkness?

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

My fingers skim the surface of our pool, and I smile slightly at the feeling of the water on my hand. I don't swim, not since I was a child... And could see. Yet another thing I'm not allowed to do.

I'm sitting on what feels like a lounge chair, and my mom is somewhere across from me. I can hear the sounds of her pen clicking and unclicking, a clear sign that's she's nervous about something. It's a warm day, sunny but not too hot. Maybe that's why she called me out here. She's always telling me that I need to get more sunlight, for my own health.

Yeah, because it's real fun to be outside and not see anything. Thanks, Mom.

There's a rustle of paper coming from the area she's sitting in, and I suddenly have a sinking feeling in my stomach. I bet I know what this is about.

"Sweetie..." My mom starts, and I fight the urge to do what feels like rolling my eyes.

Unlike some people think, just because I can't see doesn't mean that I don't have control over my eyes. It doesn't matter to me where they look, but I can tell by the voices that people get a little freaked out when I'm having a conversation staring off into a completely different direction.

I try my hardest to attempt to focus my eyes on where she's sitting, but it's really all estimation. Sound can only tell me so much.

I must be glaring without realizing it, because my mother falters.

"Uh, honey. Look, I know how much you wanted to apply for the Selection, but your father and I just don't think it's a very good idea."

"You were the one who filled out the form for me." My voice is bitter, but comes across more tired than angry. I'm so sick of people deciding what I can and can do. Deep down, I know that she is probably right, that the palace wouldn't be any place for poor, blind Echo. "And Dad dropped me off at the photography studio. They already took my picture. I'm entering, no matter what you say. You can't stop me."

My mom's voice waves more, and I can tell she's close to tears. That must be where I get it from.

"I know it's something you had your heart set on, honey, but... Angeles is just such a long way away from home. Darling, we love you for who you are, but there are some things..." She trails off and I finish for her.

"Some things I just can't do?" I struggle and fail to keep the pain out of my voice. It's been nine years since I lost my sight and nothing ever gets easier. There's been so many things I can't do anymore, things I had to give up. I will not let this be one of them.

"Because I'm blind? Because I'm sick? Because I'm weak?"

Honestly, I have no desire to be a Princess. I can barely remember anything about Prince Anthony, apart from the tragedy that left him all alone. Seven-year-old me must not have formed a strong enough memory about him, as I can't call to mind any details about what he looks like. Falling in love is not on my agenda, and I doubt it would happen anyway.

But the Selection... Just getting accepted into that could change everything. As much as I hate my disability, despising something will not somehow change reality. I am blind. But I will not let "blind" mean "useless" if I have any say in the matter.

"Look," I try to explain, getting up and pacing back and forth. I can tell my mom's nervous about me falling into the pool, but I'm well aware of where that is. Repetition of walking the backyard over and over again with Sierra, my guide dog, has given me a good idea of where everything is. "I know it's a long shot. You shouldn't worry, as I probably won't be accepted anyway. But, shouldn't you let me have a chance?"

My mom isn't even listening to my reason. "Sweetie, sit down. You'll exert yourself too much."

"I will NOT SIT DOWN!" I finally snap and start yelling. I have a shorter fuse than most people do, but my mom should know this. "Stop telling me what I can and can't do. I know I'm blind!" My voice is powerful, but desperate sounding. Pull it together. "If you think I don't know that, you're a fool. Of course I understand that there are things I shouldn't do, like drive or pilot an airplane. Obviously. But you... You have no say in what I can and can't do. You have no idea what it's like to be blind, to be sick. I'm well aware of my problems, and I don't need anyone else pointing them out again. But I am not useless." My voice breaks as I say that word, the word I hate more than anything else. "You and Dad, you mean well and I know that. But you never let me do anything. How do you know that the Selection would be bad for me? The palace of Illéa has some of the best doctors in the entire world. If I was even Selected, which I won't be, I'm sure I would be perfectly taken care of. Maybe... Maybe..." I refuse to finish the sentence. I won't get my hopes up. But what I'm thinking is "Maybe they could fix me."

And though I am broken, I am not shattered beyond repair. I am sure I have a purpose, something that I am capable of doing... Even excelling in. And that form is my ticket to showing the entire world who I am.

I am a fighter. And I will never, ever be considered useless again.

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

I sat on the couch, the sound of the TV playing drumming in my ears. Both of my parents were silent, probably due to my lashing out at them. Focusing my eyes in the direction of the sound, I tuned in to the report.

"Let's give a warm welcome to our own, Prince Anthony!" William Prescot, the report host, announced loudly in a dramatic voice. Anthony must have walked in, because the audience exploded with noise. In a moment, it quieted down, and I heard the squeak of the chair as he must have sat down.

"So, before we get to the selection, we have some pressing matters to attend to," William's voice declared, and Anthony's followed, droning on about rebels and taxes and crops and other things that I could care less about.

Several minutes later, I heard William ask Anthony several questions about the selection, but I couldn't bother to pay attention. I was only listening for the selected to be announced.

If I was chosen, I had the chance to prove that I was not useless. Being blind didn't mean being helpless and unable to do anything, and I wanted to prove to the world that I was worth something.

"And now, the moment, we've all been waiting for, it's time to announce our selected!" An explosion of cheers echoed from the speakers, and I winced at the volume. My parents must have noticed me, because the noise noticeably decreased.

"First, from Allens, we have Lady Lacey Gray, a Three!" He paused, presumably to give Illéa a chance to look at Lacey, and I sulked, refraining from rolling my eyes. This would take a while.

"From Angeles, a lady of our very own, we have Lady Dawn Dresdon, a Two!" He spoke, and I sat patiently, knowing that Atlin would be next, and then I could go back to ignoring this thing.

"From Atlin," he paused dramatically, and I almost jumped out of my seat in impatience, "Lady Echo Roland, a Three!" My parents burst into happy squeals, while I sat, stunned, waiting for someone to tell me this was a joke. I was blind. How could I possibly have been selected? But no one corrected the TV, and the I vaguely heard the phone buzzing from across the room.

This was it. My chance to go out and do something, to prove I wasn't useless. I couldn't even stop a little hope from creeping in. Even if I didn't fall in love, I was still going to the castle. Thinking back to the unspoken thought I had earlier by the pool, my hope rose.

The castle had the best doctors in all of Illéa. Surely... I tried to squash the hope, but it kept creeping back up.

After all, hope was dangerous. All it did was raise your spirits, only to squash them. But for the first time, I couldn't stop the little bit of hope from making it's way to my heart.

* * *

 **Prince Anthony**

I sat restlessly on the red stool that resides on the stage, discreetly wiping my hands on my pants so no one would notice the sweat. This was the moment. I was about to see my future wife, and I couldn't be more nervous.

Sneaking a glance at Kassidy, she gave me an encouraging smile and a little thumbs up, and I couldn't stop the corners of my lips from turning up.

Turning my attention back to Will, I realized he had said something, and was looking at me, as if expecting a response. Desperately trying to rewind the conversation, I remembered him declaring that the selected were being announced.

Smiling, I turned toward the screen behind the crowd, a little too aware of the sweat covering my palms and threatening to show on my forehead.

Will's voice was drowned out by the insistent pounding in my head, but the first girl appeared on the screen, a pretty girl with long dark brown waves, tan skin, and blue eyes. I pasted a smile on my face, hoping my nervousness wasn't showing.

I counted to ten, keeping a smile as the next girl appeared, but I was too busy trying to calm myself down to notice more than her glossy brown hair and electric blue eyes.

Taking a deep breath, I relaxed a little, and actually listened to Will's voice announce the next girl.

"From Atlin, Lady Echo Roland, a Three!" A young looking girl appeared, with curly blonde hair that looked slightly messy. Her eyes were also blue, I noticed smartly, and her skin was very pale, but she was beautiful.

I felt a real smile take over my face, and a wave of relief went through me. At least there was one girl I liked.

The relief left and I panicked again when I realized Will was announcing the girl from Belcourt already. How had I missed two girls?

"Lady Kestia Badaeu, a Five!" Kestia was the first black girl, and she sported a main of wild dark curls. She was pretty enough, and I smiled, waiting for the next girl.

"From Bonita, Lady Annalise Luz, a Seven!" A murmur went through the crowd, and I couldn't help the the startled expression that crossed my face. A Seven? She disappeared before I could catch more than her smooth dark hair and fair skin.

"Lady Jemma Santiago from Calgary, a Five!" Jemma was gorgeous, with toffee colored skin, glossy dark hair that fell in curls down to her elbows, pretty brown eyes, and full lips. A genuine smile crossed my lips, and I was a little in awe.

I smiled at the girl from Carolina, not paying too much attention, but focusing again when Clermont was announced.

"Lady Gracelyn Spencer, a Six!" I was surprised at another low caste, but I couldn't help but smile at Gracelyn. She was beautiful, with light brown wavy hair and twinkling brown eyes, but the thing that caught my attention most was her smile. She looked happy to be alive, and I felt a pull to her. Before I could examine her longer, Will brought up the next girl.

"Lady Kenna Pyralis, a Five!" Kenna was pretty, with dark curls and a fun smile, but I couldn't help but wonder at the number of low castes. I knew that the girls were sorted and the shady ones were taken out, but it really was random.

"From Dakota, Lady Clare Morrison, a Three!" Another genuine smile spread across my face. Clare looked sweet, with dark brown loose curls spilling around her shoulders, sparkling eyes, and a happy smile. I decided that I liked her.

Dominica was announced, and Kallista, a beautiful Four, showed up, and then Katriona from Fennley, which I noticed was the first redhead. She wasn't very pretty, but her mane of fiery red curls did stand out to me.

Hansport, Honduruga, Hundson, and then Kent all came and went without a big reaction from me, and when Taryn Mattise from Labrador popped up, I noticed the girls gorgeous dark hair and striking features, but I also vaguely recognized her as a classical music composer that I had listened to several times before.

Cassandra Wyne from Lakedon was another redhead, but she was pretty, with loose waves and freckles sprinkled across her nose. I smiled again, but my cheeks were starting to hurt.

"From Likely, Lady Colette Blakely, a Two." Colette caught my attention, with her silky blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes, and I instinctively smiled, but it was real.

The next 7 girls passed in a blur, and I tried to focus, but all I could think about was the sore muscles in my cheeks and getting out of here.

Alexa Upton from Sumner also caught my attention, with her golden blonde tight curls and tan skin and beautiful smile, and I felt another pull toward her. Tammins passed, another Two with black hair, and then Waverly.

"Lady Marina Taylor, a Seven!" Marina was beautiful, her blonde wavy hair cascading around her shoulders, and I liked her, but at this point, I was ready for this to be over.

"From Whites, Lady Cinnamon Maison, a Six!" Cinnamon was different from all the rest, with long waves of white blonde hair, and I sat up straight. Cinnamon stood out to me, and she was immediately a favorite, despite her low caste.

The rest of the provinces were announced, and I wilted in relief when Will signed off the report.

I glanced up to see Kassidy walking over to me, her golden curls bouncing with every step.

"Are you excited?" I groaned in response. "Hey, it can't be that bad," she said, playfully shoving my as we walked back to our rooms.

"I'm about to live with 35 emotional women who probably want to tear each others throats out over me, and I have to fall in love with them under 3 months," I sighed dramatically, inciting a giggle from her.

"Hey, when life gives you lemons," she reminded me in a teasing voice.

When life gives you lemons was an inside joke with us. A couple years ago, I had been complaining about non-consequential things, and Kass had spouted another of her random but useful quotes: "When life gives you lemons, make apple juice, and sit back and watch as the world tries to figure out how you did it." While it was a little unreliable, it did help, and since then, it's been a running joke for us.

Even if this whole selection thing was not floating my boat, I could still make the best of it.

"When life gives you lemons," I repeated back to her.

* * *

 **Here it is! 4,185 words! and I thought the last chapter was long... first, cookies to** Sora Kalopsia(UltimateMaxmericaShipper) **,** XOStarbrightXO, FryllaBrille201 **,** alexiaroosenhaan **,** morethanjustastory **,** Sabinethafangirl **,** Demigod18 **,** Elizabeth **, and** wolfofstark **for reviewing! I seriously love reading all of your reviews so much, and they motivate me to update faster! thanks for the reviews!  
**

 **my profile has all the main, supporting, and minor characters, but just because they are not a main doesn't mean they don't have a chance at getting in the elite, or even winning! they were all such wonderful characters, and I love them all, but I could only choose some to be mains.**

 **some questions for this chapter:**

 **What did you think of Echo? she's really interesting, and her pov was so heartbreaking, especially with her being blind, but did you like her?**

 **How do you think she's going to do in the selection, being blind?**

 **Was the report just word vomit? I tried to give little descriptions of most of the girls without being too wordy, but was it too much?**

 **Just give your overall opinion on this chapter... I have lots of ideas for the next one, but if you have any suggestions or ideas, feel free to review or PM me! I love talking to yall about your opinions! the next chapter will be the first half of the makeover, and will feature four of the main characters, as well as several supporting and minor, and I'm planning on including Kassidy's pov, but tell me which four girls you want to see!**

 **please review! love yall!**

 **-Kate**


	7. Ch6 - Start of Something New

**_Tangled Hearts ch 6 - Start of Something New_**

School's almost starting, so I wanted to get this chapter up. I promise I'll get at least one more before school officially starts, but after that, I'm going to be updating a lot less(probably once every two weeks). anyway, thanks so much for all your reviews, and this chapter is going to feature Claire, Jemma, Gracie, and Echo, but it only has two POVs. I didn't end up doing Kassidy's POV, mostly because it was already pretty long and I didn't have time, but i promise I'll get it in next time. please review and tell me what you think! **  
**

* * *

 **Claire Morrison**

Yawning, I forced my bleary eyes open, blinking several times to get the sleep out.

The past week has been exhausting, with millions of phone calls, reporters swarming the house, interviewers insisting on speaking with me, and a huge buzz around the whole house. On the bright side, business at the book store had been exploding, and the clothing store I worked for was going overboard with sales.

Yesterday, I had been just a simple girl from Dakota. Today, all of Illéa knew my name.

After the private jet had taken me and several other girls to Angeles, luxurious limousines had drove us the remainder of the way to the castle, and I finally crashed. I had been up and running nonstop all week, and after politely taking to Kestia, Jemma, Kallista, and Clarissa, the girls on the plane with me, I decided it was time to catch up on sleep.

However, as the limo rounded the bend, bringing the castle into view, sleep was the last thing on my mine.

It was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. The sheer size of the palace was incredible, and 100 of my own house could have fit in it, easy. The whole castle was a dirty white color, but even from across the ginormous garden, I could see the sparkling stained glass windows, illuminated by the sun. Spiraling white turrets poked out of the top, and hundreds of open windows decorated the brick walls of the castle.

The ride across the garden took a good ten minutes, giving me time to observe the whole thing. It was breathtaking, and I hadn't even been inside yet.

The limo pulled up to the front of the castle, and I noticed dozens of maids scurrying around inside. Several of them came out to our limo, and I noticed with surprise that we were some of the first girls to arrive.

Stepping out, I walked forward, noticing out of the corner of my eye that Jemma was also admiring the view, and the other 3 girls were still getting out of the car. Several butlers escorted me forward, and I looked around in amazement. If I had thought the outside of the castle was beautiful, it was nothing compared to the inside.

The grandeur was incredible. A tiled floor with a silky red carpet laid across led to several steps down beneath a huge gold and white balcony, with huge imposing staircases on either sides of me leading up to it.

The walls were engraved in intricate golden carvings, and four huge black pillars towered from the balcony to the ceiling, which guarded another archway.

Even with my terrible eyesight without my glasses, the structure was just so massive that it was hard to miss anything.

Walking straight forward, I ignored both the staircases and took the steps that led down under the balcony. Staring in awe, I let my fingers brush across the walls and golden designs, taking in the beauty of the place. In my distraction, I turned a corner and ran smack into a wall, causing me to stumble backward.

"Woah there, don't want to kill anything on your first day," I heard a masculine voice tease me. Looking up, I noticed that the wall was not a wall, as I had originally thought, but a man. A very hot man.

I blushed in spite of myself, and looked him in the eye. He looked to be somewhere in his 20s, with black messy hair, tan skin, a bit of a scruff on his chin, brown eyes twinkling with mischief, and a smirk on his lips.

"Sorry, I didn't see- the palace is just so amazing! The architecture is wonderful, I can't imagine how much..." I cut myself off after stammering, silently cursing myself. Not even five minutes in, and I was already looking like a dork.

"Oh, it's fine. Just a good thing you ran into me instead of a innocent little bunny," he smirked, and while his words were teasing and sarcastic, his tone was dead serious, and I shuffled uncomfortably, not sure what to think.

"I'm Jaymes," he introduced himself with a dramatic flare of his hands and a silly bow. I couldn't stifle the giggle that rose to my throat, even though I now recognized him. This was Jaymes Duke, the head advisor. I internally cringed, thinking he was probably already judging me.

While my instincts told me to run and hide, my mind knew how to respond to this.

"I'm Claire," I smiled, returning his gesture with a dramatic curtsy of my own, and he smirked at me, his brown eyes twinkling.

"Well, Claire, I'm afraid that I'm supposed to be somewhere..." he looked down at his wrist where a large golden watch sat, "20 minutes ago! But I hope to meet you again soon," he said, smirking at me, but wiggling his eyebrows in the process.

I stared at his receding form, partly in shock, but mostly just embarrassment.

"Oh, and try not to kill any bunnies while I'm gone," he called over his shoulder before disappearing behind another wall.

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

After my encounter with Jaymes, a young maid had found me and introduced herself as Bailey, proceeding to lead me through a twisted maze of corridors and halls and stairs to a large room where about 15 girls were already getting makeovers.

She directed me to a station, where two other maids were waiting. After directing them to cut a few inches from my hair, curl it, and apply light makeup that made me look sweet but elegant, the maids set to work.

As more girls flooded in, the room filled with light chatter and laughter, and I wanted to join in, but the shy part of me held me back.

Glancing to my left, where a cute brunette had just sat down, I decided to try to start a conversation. However, before I could muster up the courage, she turned to me and smiled.

Before she even said everything, I was already jealous. I immediately recognized her as Gracelyn Spencer, a Six, but that didn't stop her from being gorgeous. She had caramel colored wavy hair with natural blonde highlights, gorgeous blue/turquoise eyes, and a contagious smile.

"I'm Gracie!" She introduced herself with a huge smile, and I couldn't stop myself from smiling back.

"I'm Claire," I said, and if possible, her smile got even bigger.

"Isn't this so exciting? It's so new and could be so much fun! I mean, I already miss my family, but there are so many girls here, and I can't wait to meet them all!" Gracie chattered, and I giggle a little, in awe of her friendly personality.

"So what about you? Are you excited to be here? What about your family? Do you miss them?" Gracie bombarded me with questions, and I answered the best I could, trying to act friendly and sweet back.

"It is really exciting," I said softly. My mind was racing, jumping from all the things I could say and hoping desperately I wouldn't embarrass myself.

"And Anthony is super cute, with definitely helps," I joked tentatively, holding my breath for a second before Gracie giggled, releasing some of the tension in my chest. "I have an older sister, Callie, and she applied for the selection too, and I miss her, but I'll get to send money home, which she'll like," I rambled, but she just smiled, and I found myself relaxing a little around her.

She kept talking to me, asking me questions and being friendly, and I opened up a little more. Her sweet and bubbly personality intimidated me a little, but something about her put me a little at ease, and I couldn't help but smile through the whole conversation.

Eventually, my maids interrupted our chit-chat, announcing that my makeover was done.

Spinning me toward the mirror, they showed off their handiwork, and I couldn't contain a squeal when I saw what they had done.

My hair had been trimmed a little, and the preexisting layers had been shaped. My naturally wavy hair had been curled, and two pieces from both sides of my head had been pulled back to the a little behind my right ear, where they were pinned down with a large gold flower that pulled it together.

My makeup looked pretty natural, with light pink eye shadow, light mascara, a light layer of foundation that covered the scar below my eye, and some blush that brought more color to my already pink cheeks.

My hands and feet had been perfectly manicured, painted a light silver color with tiny lilac flowers decorating the base of my nails.

"You look so pretty!" Gracie squealed next to me, and I smiled at her, taking her her now finished makeover.

Her caramel colored hair had been braided back into a low bun at the base of her neck, with braids and curls running through it. She also had two curly tendrils framing her face, and had light makeup that emphasized her tan skin.

"You too," I complimented her, trying not to get jealous at her natural beauty.

"Miss, if you'd like to come with us, it's time to select your dress," Bailey told me, ushering me away from Gracie and into another room, where only 6 other girls were waiting.

The maids fitted me into a teal green dress that fell to my knees. A simple golden was tightened around my waist, and a design of intricate flowery shapes were crisscrossed at the top of my back. Overall, the dress was pretty simple, but pretty, and I liked it.

After making all the adjustments to my dress, my maids allowed me to mingle with the other girls until Kassidy, our instructor, came to give us a tour.

I hesitantly walked over, hoping I would find another Gracie to converse with. Luckily, the girls were more than willing to admit me into their conversation, and I felt a little relief. At least I wouldn't have to awkwardly sit to the side until Gracie was finished.

"Hey! Are you Claire?" A beautiful girl with light brown wavy hair I recognized as Kallista asked me.

"Yeah. And you're Kallista, right?" I asked nervously, tugged at the hem of my dress

"Yep, but you can call me Kalli," she smiled, and I admired her light brown wavy hair, which had been mostly left down, apart from two strands that were pulled back and pinned down. She was wearing a pale green chiffon dress with an empire waist and straps for sleeves that were designed to look like leaves. Similar to mine, it only fell to her knees, but she looked great in it, and I felt a tinge of jealousy.

Kenna, a Five with dark hair and a flattering yellow knee length dress, was joking with two other girls I recognized as Lacey and Miriam, and even from across the room, I could hear her voice laced heavily with sarcasm.

Several other girls had started to trickle in, including Gracie, and I waited eagerly as she was fitted into a pale blue dress that fell a little past her knees. The bottom foot of the dress was decorated in swirly designed with silver silk, and the waist up was also a mixture of blue and silver lace, swirling it's way up her shoulders.

She looked beautiful, but I stamped out any jealousy before it could arise, and went over to compliment her.

"You look great," I offered, and she beamed at me.

"You too! I love your dress," she admired, stepping down from the platform where she had just had her picture taken.

I walked with her as she went and introduced herself to literally every single girl, and I made small talk with a couple of them, too.

While Gracie worked her way around the room, I chatted with Lacey, finding out that she was a hard working college student, and I was grateful to find someone else seemed to enjoy reading even half as much as I did.

Lacey was easy to talk too, and I found myself relating to her. Like me, she was incredibly smart, but she didn't hide it, and I felt less pressure to be someone else around her.

"Hi! I'm Gracie," I heard a voice pipe up, and I turned to see that Gracie had made her way back to us and was introducing herself.

"Hey, I'm Lacey," she smiled, smoothing her hands over her cream colored long sleeved laced dress.

"I love your hair," Gracie fawned, and I found myself agreeing. Her dark, glossy brunette hair was pulled back into a twist, where it fell in loose waves down her back. The dark of her hair went well with her cream colored dress, which complimented her tan skin and blue eyes.

"Thanks, you too," Lacey smiled.

After making small talk for a while longer, a girl with golden blonde curls and tan skin threw the door open, looking flustered. She marched over to us, her simple pink flowered skirt and grey top a stark contrast to our elegant dresses.

"Hi! I'm Kassidy, your instructor, and I was supposed to give you girls a tour of the palace 5 minutes ago, so..." Kassidy gestured for us all the stand up before scurrying back to the door.

"Please come this way," she instructed, leading us into another corridor of the huge castle.

* * *

 **Jemma Santiago**

After the exhausting week of calls and interviews and fame, all I wanted was to crash, but after entering the palace, I realized that was the last thing on the agenda for today.

After being escorted through twists and turns or long corridors by a bubbly maid who introduced herself as Colleen, I was lead into a huge room filled with the obnoxious chatter of loud girls.

The maids had positioned me in a station, but I had instructed them to keep me the way I was, so the whole makeover part didn't take long.

My hair was down in it's usual bouncing black curls, but several pieces of hair had been used to make a braided headband over the top of my head, and makeup had been applied to enhance my features.

I was pretty happy with the result, and my maids proceeded to bring me to another room and fit me into a knee length emerald green dress with an empire waist and a high neckline.

It was pretty modest and simple, but I couldn't help admiring it in a gold plated mirror positioned in the makeover room. I looked pretty good, if I did say so myself.

Not a moment too soon, a tall blonde rushed into the room and announced that we should follow her for the tour.

Immediately, a stampede of girls charged out the door, groping to get a good view of the castle.

Following them out the door, I noticed a small blonde girl stumble toward the door, holding her hands out to prevent a fall that never came. After most of the girls had flooded through the door, she hesitantly took a step forward, groping for the sides of the door as if to keep herself balanced.

Walking back to her, I attempted a friendly smile, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Are you okay?" I asked, hoping that she wasn't sick on the first day of the palace. She looked up in surprise, and I got a chance to notice how pretty she was. Her blonde hair flowed down in gentle waves, with a black clip holding a small braid back.

She was wearing a short white dress with lacey black flowers lining one of the sleeves, also stretching down around her waist and a little down to one side of the dress.

"You look great," I complimented, hoping to get her to talk.

"Thanks. I wouldn't know, but thanks." I looked at her in confusion. She didn't seem to be trying to be sarcastic, but I wasn't really sure what to say.

"You have a fear of mirrors?" I tried to joke, but she scowled.

"I'm blind," she said a little bitterly, and I snapped in shock.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know... do you need any help?" I amended, cringing at my attempt of a joke earlier. I must seem cruel and insensitive.

"I can move by myself. I'm not helpless," she snapped at me, but I still took her hand.

"Here. I'll at least show you the right direction." Gently guiding her towards the rest of the girls who were trooped ahead of us, I desperately wracked my brain for something to say.

"Don't you normally have, you know, a seeing eye dog or something? No offense," I added quickly, after seeing her scowl deepen.

"No, it's fine. I have a lab named Sierra, and she normally takes me everywhere, but I want to be independent on my first day in the palace," she insisted.

I nodded before realizing that she couldn't see me.

"That's cool. I'm Jemma, by the way," I kept my voice light, hoping to put her at ease.

"I'm Echo," a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips, and I took it as encouragement. I was about to say something else when Kassidy interrupted the nervous chatter filling the halls, cutting us off from our conversations.

"So, as you can see, this is the main hall. It was designed over 200 years ago by the famous architect Jacinto de Lean. Down this corridor are the pools, which you girls will be allowed to use whenever you have free time. Over here," she gestured down another hall, "Is the woman's room. This is where you will be spending most of your time, and I will be giving lessons every day at 3-5 there."

Kassidy continued to point out all the important rooms and structures, giving occasional fun facts about the architect or when it was built or what it was designed after. I continued to direct Echo through the maze of halls, occasionally whispering to her where things were and how to get there.

She showed us the dining hall, a gold and white decorative room with chandeliers hanging above the incredibly long white table, with gold plated seats lined up under it. She pointed out the ballroom, a huge room with golden floors, white walls and ceilings with swirling golden accents decorating them, and a huge gold and crystal chandelier bringing light into the room.

Bringing us through all the halls with tall white pillars and golden decorations, I easily caught onto the white and gold theme. While it seemed like so much gold would be overwhelming and a little too gaudy, it was beautiful, and I found myself admiring everything.

After showing us a huge library that several of the girls fawned over, Kassidy brought us to a gigantic golden hall.

"This," she said dramatically with a flourish of her arms, "Is the hall of mirrors," she announced, waiting for a moment as we all looked around in awe.

Windows that stretched 20 feet high were spread across one of the walls, directing light toward the other wall, where dozens of gold plated mirrors reflected the light and gorgeous landscape of the lush palace gardens. The sparkling gold and crystal chandeliers that decorated the ceiling caught the light dancing around the room, showing off the intricate structure.

The ceiling was painted with beautiful and vibrant displays, and gold designs crisscrossed the ceiling and spread down to cover all the remaining visible walls. Sparkling crystals lit up and bounced light off the white marble floor, and golden statues lined the walls.

It fit with the white and gold theme the whole palace seemed to be following, and I found myself reviewing the way we took to get back here.

"The hall of mirrors was modeled after the same place in the Palace of Versailles. It was build..." Kassidy continued to speak, but most of the girls weren't listening, still in awe of the place.

"It's gorgeous. I'd love to sit and look at this every day," a I heard a girl say, and Echo winced.

"She's blind," I whispered in explanation to the girl, hoping she would apologize. I was sorely mistaken.

"What do I care? Bonus for me. She'll be eliminated right away. Everyone knows blind people can't do anything. She just a useless little baby," the girl drawled, her glossy red curls bouncing with every word. I saw Echo's hands clench, and I was about ready to give her a piece of my mind when Echo talked back to her.

"I'm not useless!" Echo snapped, her cheeks red in fury. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't take care of myself! People are always telling me what I can and can't do, but I'm capable of anything, and I'm going to prove it!" Echo's outburst had drawn lots of attention, and Kassidy came over to see what the fuss was about.

"What's going on?" Her eyebrows her etched in concern. She looked genuinely worried, making me mentally put another tally in the plus column. So far, Kassidy actually seemed pretty cool.

"Kat, is everything all right?" She addressed the gorgeous redhead, who flipped her hair over her creamy skin and brushed out her tight gold dress that hugged her curves and showed off lots of cleavage.

"Yep! Echo here is blind, so Jemma and I were telling her what the palace looked like," Kat quipped, making my blood boil. Kassidy looked suspicious, but sighed, giving me a look that said _Sorry, but this fight just isn't worth it._

I sighed and gave her a small smile.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Echo?" Kassidy addressed her kindly, speaking in a sweet, gentle voice that Echo softened at.

"Yes, thank you," she said sweetly, and Kassidy smiled before heading back to the front of the group. Kat smirked at me, earning a glare from me, and Kassidy let us forward.

This was going to be harder than I thought.

* * *

 **There it is! I'm in a rush right now, and need to hurry up and get going, but I really want to get this chapter posted before I leave, so I'm going to make this short. I invited everyone I know to join the pinterest board, but let me know if you have a pinterest and you're not on it! feel free to pinn fun, random, selectiony things! I promise I'll thank the reviewers in the next chapter, but I really got to go!**

 **Please review! love yall!**

 **-Kate**


	8. Ch7 - Just Keep Swimming

_**Tangled Hearts ch7 - Just Keep Swimming**_

hola! this is the second part of the makeovers, featuring Alexa, Colette, Cinnary, and Marina, but several supporting and minor characters will also be introduced. the selection's finally starting! yay! the next chapter will either be the first day at the palace or the interviews with Anthony, so review and tell me which one you want. this is the last update before school starts, so after this, it will be a lot slower, but I'll try to have a pattern so I don't get too off track. hope you like it, and please review!

* * *

 **Alexa Upton  
**

I squealed in excitement to my maids, giddily clapping my hands together. My makeover had just been finished, and I looked gorgeous!

My normally tight curls had been straightened and then curled by a flat iron to fall in loose curls down my back, and my maids had taken my obsession with light pink into consideration and paired me with a knee length tulle skirt and white top with a pretty bow.

Overall, I was pretty proud, and my excitement showed when I skipped over to show off to my newfound friends.

"Lola! Cassandra! Artemis! Margaery! Look at my dress!" Twirling around, I giggle in excitement while the girls laughed. Lola, a pretty brunette with tan skin and cute dimples, smiled at me.

"It looks great, Lex," she admired, and I beamed at her. She herself was wearing a knee length, glossy golden dress with lots of sparkling gems making up the top half, and her dark brown hair was swept up in a curly half braid.

"Thanks! Yours does too!" Lola smiled, and Margaery looked impressed.

"You look so cute, Alexa," she complimented, and I blushed. With her elegant and beautiful style and the confident way she help herself, Margaery already intimidated me, but I was in awe of her and looked up to her.

Her brown locks were swept back in a braid, and her elegant strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline, black top, and lavender tulle skirt was more classy than the majority of the girls in the room, but she still managed to flaunt her curves in it.

"Thanks, I love you dress!" I admired, causing her to smile.

Artemis, a girl with dark skin and silky black hair, was quietly talking to Cassandra, a cute strawberry blonde with freckles, and I hesitated, not wanting to interrupt them. Before I got the chance, I heard Lola scream and whipped around, panicked.

I let out a breath of relief when she had a huge smile on her face and was running toward a girl with wavy white blonde hair and a tiny frame.

"Cinnary! OMG!" She shouted at the girl, oblivious to the strange looks she was getting from across the room.

"Lola!" Cinnary shouted back, and they crashed into each other in huge hugs.

"I missed you so much!" Lola cried to Cinnary, still holding her tight.

"I missed you too!" She squealed back. "I have been looking forward to this since I saw your face on TV!" Cinnary giggled, and they walked back to us as if nothing had happened and continued to talk.

Lola's whole face had lit up, and it was safe to assume that they were best friends.

"This is Cinnary, my best friend," she introduced, and I gave her a smile. Cinnary was incredibly pretty, with gorgeous long white blonde hair that was left down in waves with a few parts back in braids.

She was wearing a long, pale pink chiffon dress with lacey flowers embroidered at the top, and it set off her pale pink skin and blue eyes, and with her small frame and cute face, she looked adorable.

"You're so pretty! I love your hair," I fawned, inciting a giggle from her.

"Thanks, your hair is pretty too," she smiled sweetly, and I noticed that she seemed a little shy. Determined to make a new friend, I linked my arm in hers and dragged her forward, with Lola following.

"This is Cassie, Artemis, Margaery, and Anna," I introduced the girls I had been talking with, and they all paused their conversations to greet Cinnary. She responded a little shyly, but no one seemed to care, and I had started to ask her questions when a gorgeous blonde marched in, capturing everyone's attention.

"Hey! I'm Kassidy, and I'll be your instructor for the time you remain here, so I'm going to give you a tour of the palace! The other group just finished and are checking out their rooms, so after this, you will all have a chance to spend time in your room and recoop a little, and then we'll meet again at 6 in the dining hall." Kassidy got it all out in a rush, and all the girls stared at her quietly.

"Come this way," she gestured toward the door, and in response, all 20 girls got up at once and hurried toward her.

Walking beside Cinnamon and Margaery, I headed out, feeling a bubble of excitement in my chest. This would be so much fun!

~~~~~~Tangled Hearts~~~~~~

"The palace ballroom, designed over 200 years ago, has one of the most detailed structures in the whole palace. The pillars set up hold thousands of pounds of gold, and the sheer size of the chandelier takes detailed architecture to be held up," Kassidy explained, giving us facts and information about the millionth room in the palace.

The ballroom was only the hundredth gorgeous white and gold styled room we had visited, and I knew there was no way I would be able to keep them all straight.

As much as I loved looking at all the architecture and design of the place, my legs were sore, my feet were dying from the uncomfortable and wobbly high heels I was in, and I was exhausted from the long week.

However, as long as I kept myself distracted with talking and admiring the palace, I didn't have to focus on it.

"It's so pretty!" I whispered to Cinnary, the closest person to me, and she nodded in agreement. "I would love to dance here... can you imagine what it would be like?" Pretending to dance myself, I twirled a couple times before tripping in my ridiculously high heels, inciting a giggle from Cinnary, who then stooped to help me up.

It had been a miracle that I hadn't tripped already, so when I did fall, it didn't bother me too much. Laughing, I stood up and followed the rest of the group out the door, with Cinnary right behind me.

Kassidy continued to direct us to certain spots, such as the woman's room and the dining hall, and I continued to make comments and sarcastic remarks to Cinnary and Lola throughout the whole tour.

"It looks like an elephant," I told them seriously as Kassidy pointed out a famous statue that resided in one of the many gold and crystal halls. They both laughed at my imagination, but I was dead serious. The ridiculous statue stood almost 20 feet tall, and it was made of white concrete with gold decorations, and looked distinctly like an elephant. I don't know how, but it somehow managed to look glamorous in the castle.

"I have to pee," I complained to Cinnary for the hundredth time as we were led into yet another large hall.

"I do to. Just ask where the bathroom it," she suggested, which I hadn't even thought about.

"Excuse me?" I called, hoping to get Kassidy's attention.

"Yes? Do you have a question?" Kassidy bounced on her heels as she spoke, and I was already drawn to her eccentricity, even though it appeared the was trying to be formal with us.

"Yes. Where's the bathroom?" Several of the other girls laughed, and I saw Cinnary's cheeks burn, but I kept my head up.

"Down that hall, take a left and go straight. It's at the very end of the hall," Kassidy directed, trying to look serious, but her lips were twitching up, and it was obvious she was trying hard not to laugh.

"Okay, thank you," I said, dragging Cinnary off in the direction she had pointed.

"Did you have to do that?" She complained, frowning at me, but I marched forward, still holding her elbow.

"It was your idea," I teased, turning around a corner.

After finding the bathroom and walking out, we eventually found the ballroom again, but then realized we had absolutely no idea where the other girls had gone. We wandered around a few corridors and entered a few rooms before we discovered that we were no where near the other girls.

"They have to had gone to the rooms by now," I mused, trying to figure out which was the most likely direction of the selected corridor Kassidy had mentioned.

"What if we can't find them?" Cinnary worried, and for a moment, I thought about it.

"At the very worst, we can never find them, we back track until we find the dining hall, wait there until dinner starts, and then ask for directions back." I decided, but even as I said it, it seemed like an unlikely solution. Even if we managed to make our way back to the dining hall, there was no telling if our rooms were even close to the other girls.

Cinnary didn't seem to like my suggestion, but she didn't protest. We walked down one hall, took a couple turns, climbed several staircases, and ended up at a dead end with a barred door and had to retrace our steps.

At first, the exploring had felt like an adventure, but after several hours, the game lost it's fun and I was starting to panic. It was right then when Cinnary recognized something.

"This is the giant elephant statue you saw! Remember?" She was almost jumping up in down, and I felt a huge weight lifted off my chest.

"Yes! Do you remember the way to the woman's room from here?"

"Yes!" Cinnary dragged me in a direction with newfound energy, and in a couple minutes, we had reached the large cream and gold colored room. We both sighed in relief and fell onto a couch, barely noticing the presence of another girl.

She was really pretty, with wavy light brown hair and honey brown eyes, and she was wearing a silky cream colored dress that fell to her knees. While it was definitely a lot simpler than most of the dresses I'd seen on girls, she looked so pretty in it that you hardly even noticed.

The girl was eyeing us curiously behind a book, and I smiled at her before raising my voice.

"Hey, we were going to the bathrooms and got a little lost, and we were wondering if you could show us where the selected corridor is?" I asked, hoping she didn't notice the faint layer of sweat clinging to my hairline.

"Of course, right this way," she said before leading us out of the room. She quickly introduced herself as Kezia, and proceeded to ask us questions about our homes and provinces and jobs.

Kezia was a great conversationalist, and I loved talking to her. She directed most of her questions at me, asking about Sumner and what it was like to work in a factory. She was also curious about Cinnary, but when she didn't kept her answers short and to the point, Kezia focused more on me.

I found out she was a magazine editor, which partly explained the curiosity, but she didn't say much else about herself. After leading us through several halls, we went up a staircase and ended up in a corridor lined with doors that presumably led to our rooms.

"Thanks so much!" I smiled at her gratefully, hoping to convey my gratitude.

"Of course," she replied before heading to her own room.

After parting ways with Cinnary, I found the one room with it's door open, and the maids I recognized from earlier escorted me in. I didn't even appreciate the beauty of the place before I crashed on the bed, closing my eyes without a second thought.

* * *

 **Colette Blakley**

I couldn't help but feel a burst of pride when I looked at the finishing touches the maids had added to my makeover look.

My dress was knee length, with a tight pink high top and a pink and green and white flowered skirt, paired with a tight silver necklace and my blonde hair curled and pulled back in a headband.

Overall, it may have been simple compared to some girls, but I felt pretty confident in it.

This whole experience had been thrilling but terrifying at the same time. Being selected hadn't surprised me, but keeping a facade and holding myself together throughout the whole plane ride and makeover had been exhausting.

Now that I had actually been selected, the pressure from my family had only multiplied, and I had received dozens of letters from my brother alone, telling me that he was proud and that he knew I would do my job, but also giving me last minute tips and telling me how to behave and lecturing me on manners and etiquette, reminding me of how important this was and how high the stakes were.

My nerves had been growing, and re-reading the letter from my brother and parents over and over only increased my stress.

I had so many things to remember: how to look, what to wear, what to say, how to say it, how to walk and talk, how to eat, how to behave, and just how to act in general. No being myself, only what he wanted and needed to be.

If I wanted to win the competition and Anthony's heart, I needed to be perfect, and it started now.

During the tour of the palace, led by Kassidy, who most of the girls fawned over, I decided to expand my line of vision and make friends, or at least be friendly.

I had approached Marina, a previous Seven, who had obviously had lots of work done to her appearance, and pasted on a friendly smile.

"Hey, your hair looks great! Your maids did such a good job!" I complimented her, but it was genuine.

Marina had dirty blonde hair with lots of lighter blonde highlights, which really emphasized all her good features, and it fell down in a style a little past her shoulders that obviously showed the freshly cut ends. Her blue grey eyes stood out against her blue and white dress, with a simple white skirt and a blue and white laced top, pulled together with a fat blue chiffon ribbon around the waist.

Marina smiled at me, her whole face brightening, and I couldn't help but admire her.

"Thanks! Yours too," she replied with a smile, her cheeks rosy.

"So, your from... Allens? Is that right?" I racked my brain, trying to sort out all the girls I remembered, but I couldn't quite pinpoint hers.

"Waverly," she corrected, but didn't seem upset. "I was a gardener and a bartender," she informed me, foreseeing my next question.

Though she said it with a smile, something in her expression told me her career wasn't something she wanted to talk about, so I changed the conversation.

"How are you liking it here so far? Is it a big difference from Waverly?" I tried to be friendly, but the effort, especially after all day of trying, was wearing me out. However, Marina wasn't exactly hard to talk to, and after getting further into the conversation, we actually got along pretty well.

After Kassidy gave us the whole tour, which led up to the hall where the selected rooms were, I crashed, ready for a break. The mattress wasn't stiff and hard, but it also wasn't to soft and springy, and it was a California king, which was more than I could say for my old queen.

The whole room was amazing. It was huge, with a large area for my huge cream colored bed and light blue pillows, with an additional blue canopy to match, and a nightstand and desk and several mirrors lined the walls.

Light fell from windows that stretched from floor to ceiling, with long, light blue curtains hanging elegantly around them. A parlor area was connected by a large archway, and it held a coffee table with several sofas and chairs that matched the blue decor, and light blue vases and flowers and paintings were hung and placed strategically around the room.

The white walls and ceilings were lined with gold, which I found fitting, considering the whole gold encrusted theme of the palace, and it was beautiful. The bathroom was incredible too, as well as the closet, but I didn't even have time to admire everything else before my maids suggested that I should head to dinner before I was late.

I met Marina on the way out of my room, and we walked in silence for the majority of the time.

My mind was racing on everything to do and say, and though my nap had helped, I still felt overwhelmed.

Building up my confidence, I took a deep breath and allowed my face to break into a smile. This one night wasn't that big of a deal. If what Kassidy had said was true, there would be no cameras, and she would be the only one joining us tonight.

Judging by the table, Kassidy's predictions were true. So far, only 10 or so other girls were waiting, sitting lumped together and talking in low tones. Marina and I sat across from them, and I tried to exude and air of confidence and sweetness at the same time.

A gorgeous girl with tied up blonde hair and a strapless pink and white flowered dress leaned forward with a friendly smile.

"I'm Rya!" She introduced herself in a bubbly voice, and Marina grabbed her hand and smiled back.

"I'm Marina, and this is Colette," she said, her rosy cheeks lighting up.

"Hey! Isn't this so exciting? All the dresses and jewelry, and the food!" Rya gushed, and Marina giggled with her. I chatted with the two of them for a while longer, and while more girls trickled in every minute, Rya introduced us to Taryn, Evan, Annalise, and Kestia, the four girls surrounding her.

After all 35 girls had poured in, Kassidy joined us, and the staff and maids brought the food in.

Being a Two, I was used to good, expensive, high quality food, but this was something else. The juicy pink steak was dripping with sauce, the warm buttered bread broke easily into pieces, the Italian cream soda was sugary but not too sweet, and even the salad tasted delicious.

After the appetizer and main meal, the dessert was brought out, and though many of us were already full, we managed to make room for the mouth watering desserts.

The table was lined with tarts, chocolates, cakes, pies, cobblers, ice cream, fudge, and so many other desserts it was hard to count.

After stuffing ourselves full, Kassidy excused us and I headed back to my room wearily, ready for another nap. I kept in mind that breakfast was served at 8:30am sharp tomorrow morning, but because Prince Anthony wasn't going to be attending, we had the option of taking breakfast in our rooms. We had our first etiquette lesson at 10, and had our first meetings and personal interviews with Anthony at 12.

I was excited, yet a little apprehensive, for the following day, but at the moment, all I wanted to sleep.

Falling into my bed for the second time that day, I fell into a restless sleep, hoping and waiting for tomorrow to come.

* * *

 **Kassidy Holden**

I sighed, trudging through the halls as I made my way up to my room.

All the girls had arrived at the palace today, and though I was excited to meet them and to see how they would help Anthony, it was more exhausting than I had given it credit for.

During the first tour, Kat, a fiery redhead who had personally introduced herself to me, and Echo, a small girl who I remember distinctly was blind, had already got in a fight, and I was not at all ready for it.

Kat had seemed friendly and polite when she had talked to me, but I was wary of her when she claimed to have been helping Echo. The look on Jemma's face was enough to tell me that was not the case, but I was too tired to argue and just shut the whole thing down.

I tried not to get too attached to the girls, because I knew that up to five of them would be eliminated tomorrow by Anthony during the interviews, but they were all so sweet that it was hard not to like them.

Turning my mind away from the selected, I picked up the letter sitting on my desk.

Princess Annika Müler-Schwan of Germany had personally wrote us, asking if she could participate in the selection. I had agreed eagerly, but I was surprised when Anthony returned my enthusiasm.

I had met Annika on occasion in my childhood, and remembered her to be a sweet pretty girl who was eager to make friends. During meetings that Anthony was required to attend, Annika and I had run around and wrecked havoc for the two hours we had together.

I remembered those days with fondness, but knowing that Anthony had never met her, I was curious as to why he willingly admitted a foreign princess into his selection.

Even if I hadn't been friends with her, it was a wise move politically to let the German Princess participate. Germany was currently one of the most powerful counties, and allowing their princess into our selection was a huge tie and giant leap to forming an alliance with Germany. While no major countries were participating in wars, alliances were being made and being built up for the next war that was brewing between New Asia and New Africa, who were both building empires.

Princess Annika had arrived yesterday, before the rest of the girls, and she had chosen to opt out of the tour and take her dinner in her room, which I didn't blame her for.

I was eager to make friends as well, but on the first day, emotions were high and tension was settling in, so it was not the opportune time to mingle with selected girls.

Anthony had gone to bed earlier, but Jaymes and I had been at a meeting with him right before, where he agreed to eliminate 3-5 girls after the interviews tomorrow.

He looked a little daunted by the task, and I didn't blame him, but Jaymes and I had assured him that we would be there, and I already pointed out several girls who looked like they didn't need to be here.

Tomorrow was Anthony's first test, and though I was nervous for him, I knew he was ready.

* * *

 **here it is! *squeals excitedly* I know colette and kassidy's povs were really sucky, but school started yesterday and I already have homework *sigh* so I really just wanted to get this done and update for you guys. I have several important things to say, so PLEASE READ BELOW!**

 **first, I've decided to host a cover competition on my pinterest. I think I've invited everyone who has a pinterest to the main tangled hearts board, but if not, please just let me know and I definitely will! so yall can make covers for Tangled Hearts and pin them on the board, and I'll decide the winner after the first week or so.**

 **just for a little motivation: the winner of the cover competition not only gets their cover to be used for the story, but also gets their character featured in the next chapter! If you didn't submit a character, than your character of choice will be featured, and you get cookies.**

 **now thanks to all my reviewers:** IMadeUReadThisI, La Rosa, alexiaroosenhaan **(x2)** , UltimateMaxmericaShipper **(x2)** , morethanjustastory **(x2)** , XOStarbrightXO, CoolForTheSummer, sophie, jenhen48, wolfofstark, MastaGamerita, Guest, FyllaBrille201 **(x2)** , **and** Sophie **for reviewing on the last two chapters! I love all of you so much and appreciate the feedback! please keep reviewing!**

 **also, just a little tip: the more you review, the more I'm motivated to write your character. I need to know that you're actually reading this, so the more you review, the better shot your character has at staying in and getting more screen time!**

 **anyway, onto the questions!**

 **what did you think of alexa, cinnary, colette, and marina? their part was a little fluff and just bonding time, but more drama will be in the next chapter.**

 **what's your opinion of a princess from germany participating in the selection? just to clear things up, in case you didn't understand, she's not from a province, and she's just representing germany, which will be a huge political advantage to Illea, but of course, Anthony will also have the opportunity to connect with her.**

 **do you think the next chapter should be the interviews? I'll cut out all the throwaways and try to keep it short, but that way yall can get a better idea of the supporting and minor characters.**

 **thanks so much for all the support and love, please review! love yall!**

 **-Kate**


	9. Ch8 - This is the Day

**_Tangled Hearts ch8 - This is the Day_**

the interviews! yay! thanks so much for all the reviews, I absolutely love reading them! so far, not many people have submitted for the cover competition... please submit! I'm terrible at it, and I need you guys! huge shoutout to **CoolForTheSummer** for submitting 3 awesome covers, but it's not much of a competition if she's the only one! remember, the winner gets their character featured in the next chapter! anyway, here it is! hope yall like it!

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 **Anthony Schreave  
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I took a deep breath, smoothing out my recently ironed pants. Today was the day. In less than 10 minutes, I would meet my future wife. And I wouldn't know who she was, and I would have 3 months to figure it out.

While Kassidy had been giving the selected their first lesson, I had been in a meeting with Jaymes and several other of my most trusted advisors, discussing today's possibilities. After clearing up information about the war brewing between New Asia and New India and our current alliances, Jaymes moved on to my interview with the girls.

It was decided that I should eliminate several girls from the start, and though I had agreed, I was terrified on the inside. What if I made the wrong decision, and sent home the girl I was supposed to marry? What if my gut told me wrong, and I lost the love of my life before I even met her?

Kassidy had assured me that this wouldn't happen, and to trust my gut, but from what I had learned, my gut wasn't very trustworthy. For example, my gut had told me that I could pull off wearing Jaymes' cologne. My gut was sorely wrong.

I had opted to stick with simple clothes today, wearing a white button up shirt and brown dress up pants, with no tie and my hair sticking out in all different directions from running my hands through it. I hadn't wanted to intimidate the girls, and my board of advisors had agreed that this was the best way to go.

So now, with my freshly ironed white shirt and dress pants, messy hair, and unique cologne that definitely wasn't as attractive as Jaymes', I headed into the lounge where all 35 girls were waiting.

The moment I stepped in, the chatter and whispers ceased, and in unison, they all sat up in their seats, adjusted their dresses, and fidgeted with their hair, and all 35 pairs of eyes were focused on me.

I flashed what I was sure was a charming smile at the girls before walking to the front of the room and clearing my throat, more for effect than to get their attention.

From the back, Kassidy gave me an encouraging smile and a thumbs up, and I turned to address the girls.

"As you probably know, I'm Prince Anthony," I grinned as I introduced myself, and several nervous giggles sounded from the crowd. "I'll be meeting you one on one for a minute or so, so I can get a feel for each of you," I said, cringing at my word choice, but few of the girls seemed to notice. I cleared my throat once again, before holding up a list and reading off the first name.

"First," I glanced down at the list, "Lady Alexa Upton." A pretty girl with tight dirty blonde curls, tan skin, and a pale pink dress bounced up. On her way up to the sofa I was sitting on, she tripped, her hair falling over her face.

I immediately jumped up and went to offer her a hand, and let out a sigh of relief when a peal of laughter escaped her, joining in with the muffled giggles of her fellow selected.

"I'm fine," she assured me with a smile. "Just embarrassed and planning to set fire to every pair of heals in my closet tonight," she announced, and I laughed, but a small part of me still worried that she was actually serious about starting a bonfire in my castle.

"I'm Alexa," she introduced with an uneven curtsy and a cute, dimpled smile. I smiled back, gesturing for her to sit down. I had to stifle a laugh when she plopped her high heals on the couch next to her.

"So, Alexa, tell me about yourself," I suggested, hoping I didn't sound too nervous.

"Well, I'm the third child out of four, and I have two older twin brothers, Cameron and Jackson, and a little sister, Brooklyn. We all worked at a factory to pay for my mom, who was recently diagnosed with cancer," she told me, her quirked lips turning down.

"My dad's been out of the picture for a while, but we get along fine without him. Now that Im getting money from the selection, Brooklyn won't have to work anymore and we can finally pay for a good cancer treatment for my mom!" He voice was laced with excitement, but I felt a pang of sympathy.

I knew what it was like to lose my parents, but at the time, at least I had an older brother and lots of support as I went through it. Alexa continued to tell me about how she wanted to be a veterinarian, and I admired to constant optimism and cheerfulness.

"Well, I loved talking with you, but I really need to meet some of the other girls," I told her apologetically. She smiled graciously and walked back to her seat, only remembering her shoes halfway and darting back to pick them up, inciting several laughs from the other girls.

I liked Alexa, even if it was more the way I liked Kassidy then the way I would like my future wife, but I was still keeping her. Even if I hadn't liked her, how could I kick her out when she had a family to support and a mother with cancer?

I waited until the laughs following Alexa died down to call the next girl.

"Lady Annalise Lux," I read, and a beautiful girl with tan skin, straight, jet black glossy hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a simple sleeveless forest green knee length dress.

She dropped into a curtsy and sat down across from me.

"I'm Annalise, but you can call me Ann or Anna," she introduced herself.

"Hello, Ann," I said, more to test out her name then anything else. "So, tell me a little about yourself," I said, wiggling my eyebrows.

"I was the oldest of 9 kids, but one of my brothers died as a baby, so now it's 8," told me bluntly, but I saw a lingering sadness in her eyes. "My family means the world to me." I heard her voice soften, and I reached out to squeeze her hand.

"I'm sorry. I know what it feels like to lose a sibling," I told her gently, and she nodded, giving me a look that told me she would be there for me.

It had been hard enough loosing my parents to a heart attack(my dad was having heart problems, and when he died suddenly, my mom died of shock) at the same time, but Derick and Josie were both there for me, and losing them pulled me off the end. I sunk to rock bottom, and if it hadn't been for Kassidy and Jaymes, I honestly wouldn't even have had the selection and would probably still be moping in my room.

"It was really nice talking to you, but I need to speak with the other girls. I hope I'll see you again soon," I smiled at her, and she nodded and took her seat back with the other girls.

"Lady Artemis Glass," I called, and an African American girl stood up. She was tall and well built, with dark chocolate brown hair, dark skin, pretty eyes, and a floor length white dress. I vaguely recognized her, and had a nagging feeling that I had seen her before. She came up and dropped into an elegant curtsy, her eyes studying me.

"I'm Anthony," I introduced a little nervously. She kind of intimidated me. "I'm sorry if this comes off as too forward, but do I know you? I feel like I've seen you before," I amended, nervously tugging at my shirt.

"Well, I used to be in a relationship with Jaymes Duke," she told me, and a jolt of recognition went through me.

"I remember you! Jaymes showed me pictures," I said, very pleased with myself for remembering. Artemis smiled a little at my eccentricity, and I tried to force to delighted smile on my face into a more neutral expression. "Your a surfer, right?" I asked, directing to conversation to a more appropriate topic.

"Yes! I love surfing, and would do it all day if I could. It's my passion," she told me as her eyes lit up, and I felt proud of myself for bringing up something that was close to her heart.

"I'll have to take you surfing sometime then," I offered. "Maybe you could teach me," I joked, referring to my horrible surfing skills.

"That'd be great," she smiled.

"Well, I enjoyed talking with you, but I really should get to the next girl," I said, looking down at the overwhelmingly long list of girls.

"Alright. I'll hold you up on that surfing offer," she told me before leaving. Yet another girl I wanted to keep.

The next girl, Avery Seth, was a tiny blonde with pink highlights, and she was nice enough, but didn't stick out to me too much. Cassandra Wynne, however, was a different story. With her bright red hair, a cute smattering of freckles, friendly smile, and bright blue summery dress, she caught my attention before we even spoke.

"Hi! I'm Cassie," she told me brightly.

"It's just wonderful to meet you, Cassie," I joked, taking her hand and shaking it violently.

"Oh the pleasure is mine," she teased back, going with it and swinging my hand around. After sitting down, I kept a goofy smile on my face and proceeded to question her.

"So, Cassie, tell me about yourself."

"I'm an assistant kindergarten teacher, training to be a real teacher," she told me. "I really love kids, and I love what I do." She spoke brightly and passionately, and I found myself liking her. We teased back and forth for a little while longer, and though she didn't say much more about herself, she was very energetic and extroverted, and I decided to keep her around for a little longer. After dismissing her, I called for the next girl, and was again surprised.

"Lady Cinnamon Maison," I asked more than called. With a name like Cinnamon, I was already intrigued. A tiny girl with gorgeous white wavy hair and delicate features made her way up, and my eyebrows were shooting up. She was unique, that was for sure.

"Your Highness," she addressed me as she curtsied.

"Cinnamon?" I questioned, my curiosity getting the best out of me.

"Yes. I know it's different, but you can just call me Cinnary. It's a mix between Cinnamon and Arylih, my middle name," she hurried after seeing my eyebrows disappearing above my hairline.

"Ohhhhhh." We were silent for a moment, before I couldn't restrain myself any longer. "Is your hair naturally white?" I blurted out, realizing a little late that it might sound rude.

"White blonde," she corrected with a smile, "but yes." I looked at it in awe, wondering how she could be so young but have white hair.

"Anyway, tell me a little about yourself."

"I have two older brothers, one who's actually a guard here," she told me, which incited my curiosity.

"Really? Which one?"

"Quinn Maison," she said, and a sat up straight.

"Officer Quinn! Here's one of the best there is," I complimented, thinking back to Quinn. He had been my personal guard for a long time, and was recently assigned to one of the selected, which I assumed was Cinnary. She smiled before continuing to talk about her family.

"I also have two little sisters, Reni and Luli, and I love them both and miss them. I hope they're doing okay," she told me a little wistfully.

"What about your parents?"

"My dad is great! He's really busy, trying to provide for all of us, but he does the best he can."

"Is your mom in the picture?" Her face tightened, and I immediately regretted asking. "I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that," I added hastily.

"She's dead," she said softly.

"I'm sorry." My voice was laced with sympathy, telling her I knew how it felt, and before I knew it, the time was up and I was calling up the next girl.

"Lady Claire Morrison." A really pretty and cute girl with thick, dark waves and a silky royal blue dress stood up and made her way over.

"You Highness." She curtsied, and blushed when I smiled warmly and kissed her hand.

"Lady Claire. Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I'm a personal fashion assistant," she offered, staring at my shirt.

"Fashion? I could use some help with that," I joked, glad that she gave a small laugh.

"What about your family?"

"I don't remember my mom very well, but my dad takes care of me, my older sister Callie, and my younger brother Calder. Did you know that Calder and I actually have the same birthday?" She told me, her eyes sparkling as she went.

"Really? That's fascinating. Tell me more," I said, propping my elbows up on the table and leaning into my hands. While the way I said it implied I was being sarcastic, I really was interested.

Claire raised her eyebrows, but her cheeks heated up a little, and I felt a little surprised. Was it that awkward to be around me?

"Well... I guess... um, I enjoy reading?" She offered timidly, as if asking a question. Her cheeks immediately flared and she stared at her lap.

"Really? Have you seen the library? It's huge! Sometime I'll have to take you there and show you..." I trailed off, not really sure where I was going with that. I did enjoy reading, but I seemed to only be making the situation more uncomfortable by trying to relate to her. I cleared my throat, and her eyes darted up for a second, and I couldn't help but think that she had very pretty eyes.

"So, I really enjoyed meeting you," I started awkwardly, and she seemed to take the hint and stood up.

"As did I." She gave a small curtsy and went back to her seat, leaving me slightly confused, and I only realized that I was standing with my mouth open when all the girls were staring at me expectantly.

I announced the next girl, Clara, and she gave off a sexy, flirty manner, and though I flirted back a little, she still made me a little uncomfortable. The following girl didn't leave much of an impression on me either, and I felt relief knowing I could at least check one off the 'to be eliminated' list.

"Lady Colette Blakely." I recognized Colette, not only from drawing the selection girls, but also as a model that Kassidy was always going on about. I assumed that she must be good if Kassidy admired her.

"Prince Anthony," she dipped into an elegant curtsy, and her tone was friendly but sweet and polite.

"Hello, Lady Colette," I gave a bright smile before digging into the conversation for the millionth time today. "So, tell me a little about yourself."

"I'm a model, and I enjoy what I do, but I also really love soccer and board games, and I love chocolate cake," she told me, and I was practically jumping up and down in my seat by the time she finished.

"Really? I love soccer too! And board games, but chocolate cake is only my favorite food ever!" I told her energetically, glad that I had found someone I had so much in common with.

"Seriously? I love cake! It's my favorite food! I would eat it all day if I could without getting fat," she laughed.

"Ug, I love cake. What's your favorite board game?" I asked curiously, taking my mind off of cake before I started drooling.

"Probably Monopoly, and old game, but it takes such a long time, so a second favorite would probably be chess." Colette's eyes lit up as we talked, and I noticed that she was very pretty. I decided that I liked her.

"Monopoly is my favorite too! How do you know about it? It's not very popular anymore," I wondered, but I was still slightly bouncing in my seat from excitement. She laughed at me, her smiling lighting up her face.

"I'm a Two, remember? My parents have access to lots of things." We talked for a little while longer before I reluctantly dismissed her. I now knew what Kassidy saw in her, and I was very excited to introduce them.

Lady Dawn Dresden was next, and I recognized her as the head of the Dresden Corporation, the biggest and most successful health care business in the nation.

"Your Highness," she dipped into a graceful curtsy before sitting before me.

"Please just call me Anthony," I flashed a smile at her, hoping I didn't look as uncomfortable as I felt. Dawn smiled, and it was a very beautiful smile. How was I supposed to fall in love if every one of the girls here was freaking gorgeous?

"So, tell me about yourself," I prompted.

"Well, as you might know, I'm head of the Dresden Corporation. I took over after my parents passed away." I felt a sharp pang in my chest.

"How long ago?" She looked at me in surprise.

"What?"

"How long ago did your parents die?" I felt bad for pressing her when it obviously still hurt, but I needed to know I wasn't alone. I knew that several of the other girls had lost a family member, but losing your parents and older brother in rapid succession was a lot more difficult than I got credit for.

"It was on my 18th birthday. A little over a year ago," Dawn said softly, avoiding my eyes for the first time. I was going to tell her that I understood, that she could talk to me, but before I had the chance, she explained her love for philosophy and reading, and we ended up having a good discussion.

Dawn seemed incredibly intelligent, and I respected her before the first minute was over.

"I can't wait to see you soon," I smiled brightly at her, and she gave another graceful curtsy before leaving.

"Lady Echo Rolland." I remembered Echo from when the selection was announced, and I was eager to meet her. However, she didn't seem to feel the same way. Echo was lead up to the couch by a lab, which surprised me, but I didn't comment on it. She sat down unsteadily, and only looked at me when I spoke to her.

"Lady Echo, it's nice to meet you," I broke the silence awkwardly. Echo's eyes focused on me, and she seemed to hesitate. Before she had the chance to say anything, I rushed on.

"Tell me a little about yourself." She frowned, but still spoke up.

"I'm a Three," she offered, but couldn't seem to think of anything else to say.

"Do you have any hobbies? Do you like outdoors? Maybe I could give you a tour of the garden sometimes," I prompted awkwardly. I was stabbing in the dark, but I really wanted her to say something, but honestly, I had no idea what to do.

My comment seemed to offend her, and she scowled at me.

"That would be nice, if I could actually see it." Her voice was clipped, and a little bitter, but I melted inside myself. What was I supposed to do? I stared at her in confusion for a moment before it hit me.

"Oh... you mean... you're blind?" I didn't mean to sound so surprised, but Echo seemed to think I was mocking her.

"Why? Are you going to send me home now that you know I can't see like the rest of the girls?" Even though her tone was cold, now that I knew about it, I had a sudden, fierce urge to protect her.

"No, of course not. If there's anything you need, just come to me or Kassidy, either of us would be happy to help you out," I offered, realizing too late that it sounded like I thought she was helpless. I internally cringed, but before she could get a word out, I was tapped on the shoulder, a sign that I had spent too long with her.

"Well, Lady Echo, it was nice meeting you, and I hope to see you again sometime," I rushed, and she looked resigned as her dog led her back to the rest of the girls.

I felt bad for being so inconsiderate, but Echo was definitely a girl I wanted to keep.

The next girl was very quiet and shy, but seemed nice enough. Lady Evan Woodcock was after her, and I pasted yet another smile on my face for the pretty blonde.

Evan was an endless flirt, but she had a contagious smile and managed to get me to laugh within the first 10 seconds of our conversation. She shamelessly flirted with me, and I flirted a little back, but overall, she was very fun and sweet.

We teased each other for a little while, and she told me about her love for cooking, inspiring me to hint at taking her on a date to the kitchen sometime. I liked her, and decided I had another keeper.

Gracelyn Spencer had caught my eye when she was announced, so I was very eager to meet her when her name was called.

"Hi! I'm Gracie," she curtsied sweetly, and I found myself liking her already.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Gracie," I teased with an overly dramatic manner. She laughed and blushed a little, which made me a little prideful. "So tell me about yourself," I said, feeling like a broken record.

"I'm the second child in a family of Sixes, and I've lived on the beach my whole life. I love the beach, and swimming is one of my absolute favorite things to do," she gushed, but still seemed to be holding back a little.

Some insecure part of me really wanted her to be comfortable around me, so I was doing everything in my power to seem normal. Naturally, it completely backfired.

"I love swimming too! The castle is on the beach, you'd love it," I told her, and she gave me a pointed look. When I didn't catch on, she pointed out to me that she had been at the castle for a day and already had a tour.

"Right. Of course." My brain raced, and I mentally smacked myself.

"Then, um, maybe we could go to the beach sometime?" At this point, I really had no idea what I was saying, but I kept racing forward, despite the mental block that seemed to be on my mind.

"That'd be great," she responded as a blush worked it's way onto her cheeks.

"What's your family like?"

"My oldest sister, Jess, is one of my best friends. Both she and Maddie, my younger sister, have been my best friends my whole life. When I was selected, Maddie got a little upset, but she was just jealous, and I think she'll forgive me soon. Derick and Riley are twins, and they're 12. I love my whole family, but I'm a flight attendant, so I don't see them all that much."

Gracie seemed to open up a little, which relieved me, especially since she wasn't as bubbly and friendly as Kassidy had described her. Kass had given me a run down of all her favorite girls this morning, and Gracie had been described as "The sweetest, bubbliest girl I know. You'll love her!" Kass had given me a report on several other girls, but Gracie was almost acting shy, which made me nervous.

We talked for a little longer, and then I dismissed her to call the next girl, Heidi. She was an actress, and if she hadn't been drop dead gorgeous and actually slightly polite, I probably would have eliminated her on the spot based on her skimpy skin tight dress and plunging neckline.

"Lady Jemma Santiago." I checked the list, and was a little discouraged to notice that I was only halfway through.

Jemma was gorgeous, something I noticed immediately, but she wasn't as shallow as some of the other girls with her looks.

"I'm Jemma," she introduced herself to me as soon as she stepped up. "Nice to meet you." She wore a friendly, but confident smile, and I felt myself relax around her.

"So Jemma, tell me about yourself."

"I'm a Five, and a Dancer, but there's more to be than that, though I do enjoy it. I really love my family," she told me measuredly, and I found myself admiring her.

"What's your family like?"

Jemma explained that she had an older brother, Alec, who was her best friend, and she also had a little brother, Max, who was a sweet boy with his nose stuck in a book.

As we continued to talk, with a little flirting, I pegged Jemma as a confident, self assertive girl, but I admired her for it. She seemed like the girl who would work for what she wanted, and wouldn't be afraid to put people in their place to do it.

"I really enjoy cooking, but my dear brother doesn't seem to appreciate it very much," she said in a teasing manner, and I laughed.

"I'm sure he just doesn't appreciate your expertise. I mean, not many people can make gumbo with fuzzy red potatoes," I teased, and she laughed, which caused me to laugh.

Jemma was definitely making a good impression on me, even if I felt comfortable around her the same way I did with Kassidy.

We chatted for a short period more before I interviewed Jenny, and by the time I got to Kallista, I was exhausted. It was a good thing we were getting a lunch break halfway through, because I was starving and feeling slightly overwhelmed.

"Lady Kallista," I greeted her as she curtsied.

I asked her about herself, only for the millionth time today, but she seemed very sweet and humble.

Kalli told me about her parents, and how she loved helping them, and she somehow when she talked about working hard, she presented it in a way that didn't even seem like she was bragging.

I was perfectly fine just sitting and watching her. Kalli was incredibly beautiful, and she actually directed part of the conversation toward me.

I definitely liked her, but I also needed a well deserved break.

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 **Finally finished! I know, it's only half of the girls, but oh my gosh this is tedious. I'm sorry it took so long to update, and if yall don't read this entire chapter, I completely wouldn't blame you. I didn't add the rest of the girls because it's already long, and I didn't want to have just word vomit, but I also wanted to introduce all the girls. It's late and I'm tired, but a huge shoutout to all my wonderful reviewers. love yall!**

 **~Kate**


	10. Ch9 - First Impressions

**Tangled Hearts Ch9 - First Impressions**

hello my lovely readers! I'm updating after only one week, mostly because it's labor day so I have a three day weekend, but you know. I think I had Anthony interact with all the girls, but please review and tell me if I left out a character! If I did, I'm really sorry, but it's a lot to keep track of. Hope yall like this chapter, and please review!

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 **Anthony's POV**

"Lady Katriona Harlow," I read studiously off the list. I was in a good mood now that I had eaten, and was ready to tackle the rest of the girls. I was confident I could handle it.

I was immediately proven wrong. Lady Katriona was a gorgeous redhead who was currently pulling off an incredibly short light green dress, and my eyes conveniently fell on her long, smooth legs. Against my will, obviously.

"Lady Katriona," I greeted her, hoping I didn't look too apprehensive.

"Please, just call me Kat," she smiled sweetly, gracefully dipping into a curtsy and easing herself onto the sofa.

"Nice to meet you, Kat. Please, tell me about yourself."

"I'm a kindergarten teacher and love kids and art," Kat explained, leaning forward and she spoke. "I really enjoy painting and sketching, and I also love to cook."

"That's nice." I mentally cursed myself when she seemed a little deflated. That's nice? What was I thinking?

"I mean, I like food too. Let's eat together sometime," I offered, causing her face to light up in a smile. At this point, I was ready to go die in a hole. I obviously wasn't as good with girls as I thought I was.

"I'd love that," she gave me a gorgeous smile before shifting in her seat, causing her fiery ringlets to bounce.

We talked for a little longer, and my speech improved slightly, but she didn't seem to notice. After I dismissed her, I was left in a state of confusion.

Kat seemed nice, but was obviously showing off her assets and seemed completely oblivious to all my blunders. I didn't have time to dwell on it, though, because I had to call up Lady Kenna Pyralis next.

"Prince Anthony." Kenna fell in a quick curtsy and sat down, but not before I felt a jolt of surprise. I was pretty sure she was the first girl to address me by my first name.

"Lady Kenna."

"Just call me Kenna." We sat in an awkward silence for a moment before Kenna spoke up. "How much of this place do you actually use?" It took me a moment to realize that she was referring to the palace, and I cursed my self for the millionth time for going brain dead.

"Actually, I explored the whole thing when I was younger. I know this place in and out," I bragged, and Kenna raised an eyebrow.

"You know all the secret passages here?"

"Yep. Every one of them," I stated proudly as I puffed up my chest.

"Then they couldn't be too hard to find if you figured it out," she muttered sarcastically, and I couldn't stop a bark of laughter from leaving my throat. She raised an eyebrow at me, and I place a hand on my heart in feigned hurt.

"I'll have you know that I'm a certified genius," I told her with my nose in the air. "I could easily beat you at finding secret passages."

"Is that so?" Before I knew it, Kenna has challenged me to a race, and whoever found a secret passage first won.

"What's the prize?"

"Guess it depends on who wins," she said slyly before excusing herself.

I liked Kenna. She was a firey ball of sarcasm, and I realized that I barely knew anything else about her. She would have to stay.

"Lady Ketsia Badeau." The first thing I noticed about Ketsia was her natural beauty. Unlike most of the other girls, she wasn't caked in makeup and glamourous dresses, and liked that about her.

"Your Highness."

"So, Ketsia, tell me about yourself."

"I'm a Five, and I play the saxophone for a jazz band, which I really love," Ketsia gushed. She told me about her passion for classical music, and her love of Taryn Mattise, another selected who I was yet to meet.

By the end of our 5 minutes, I had got the impression that she was passionate but kind, and she let off an easygoing vibe. She seemed hesitant about being in the selection because of her race, but I hadn't even thought about it until she brought it up.

When Lady Kezia Rufford was called up, my head was spinning with all the similar names, so it took me a moment to adjust.

"... magazine editor," Kezia's voice drifted into my foggy brain. I smiled at her, only half sure of what she just said until she elaborated.

"My dad wanted me to be more, but I chose to be a magazine editor." Kezia gave me an amused look, and I realized that she knew I wasn't paying attention the first time. I unintentionally blushed, causing her to smile.

We talked for a while longer, and she was surprisingly easy to talk to. We made conversation about her family, her job, my life in the castle, and several other things, until I realized our time was up.

"It was really nice talking to you," I said reluctantly. Kezia was refreshing to talk to after all the incredibly forward girls who were very distracting.

"You too," she said with a smile. The next girl, Lily, wasn't nearly as noticeable, and seemed very shy.

"Lady Margaery Casteel." Even before she introduced herself to me, Margaery was a picture of elegance and grace. She glided down the aisle, gave a graceful curtsy as she addressed me, and sat down.

"Lady Margaery," I smiled at her, and she smiled back. I skipped the 'tell me about yourself' part and decided to indulge my curiosity. "You're a Two, right? A Socialite? Isn't that someone who is famous and goes to parties all the time and is very social?"

"Yes, that would be the definition of a socialite," I laughed a bit as she spoke.

She told me about her family's prestigious line and their business, and I almost pitied her for her lack of a loving family. She certainly wasn't suffering, but without Jaymes or Kassidy or Derick, I wouldn't be who I was today.

Margaery was very easy to talk to, and her manner appeared as the picture of a queen. Even from the beginning, it was obvious she was a good choice.

I really enjoyed conversing with her, and shared a lot more about my personal life then I would care to admit.

"I loved talking with you, Lady Margaery, and hope to see you again soon." I smiled at her, reluctant to let her go, but knowing that I had already overstayed my time.

"The pleasure was mine," she gave another graceful curtsy and returned to her seat, leaving me to admire her.

"Lady Marina Taylor." Marina was naturally beautiful, with thick, curled, dirty blonde hair, fair skin, and a colorful, short dress.

"It's nice to meet you, Lady Marina," I smiled pleasantly as she dipped into a curtsy, racking my brain as I tired to remember her profession.

"You too, your highness." Marina wore a cheerful smile that didn't quite reach her eyes, but she looked gorgeous with it anyway.

"Tell me about yourself," I suggested, feeling like a broken record.

"Well, I'm a Seven, and I've never led an easy life," she began hesitantly, and then it clicked. Marina was a bar girl and a gardener. A pang of sympathy went through me when I thought about having to live under those conditions.

"Me and my sister Nikki are closest, and have struggled to raise enough money for my little sister to go to college." As Marina explained a little about her life as a Seven, the forced tension between us dissolved and I found myself wanting to know more about her life.

"Now that I'm in the selection, I think I might actually be able to send Clara to college, but I miss her so much already." I could hear the homesickness in her voice, and it took me a moment to find the words to comfort her.

"Well, within the next 2 months will be September 14th, Illéa's independence day, so if you'd like, you could invite your sisters as personal guests to the ball we're hosting," I suggested, immediately cringing. It was currently late August, and our Independence ball was supposed to be where I met the families of the elite. I had implied that Marina would be part of the elite, and I hoped she wouldn't notice.

"That'd be wonderful." The knot in my stomach loosened at the look of happiness on her face, and I felt relieved that she hadn't thought too much into my invitation.

The more Marina talked about her lifestyle, the more I began to admire her.

She had so much courage to live such a difficult life and do things she didn't want to do to support her family, and though she made it clear that it hadn't been her intention to enter the selection, I was very glad she did.

When she relaxed, it became much easier to talk to her, and I found myself hoping she'd want to stay.

After I dismissed her, Lady Miriam Abana was announced. She wore a flowy sundress, and was letting off a summery vibe.

"Lady Miriam, it's nice to meet you," I greeted her, and she smiled at me. "So, tell me a little about yourself."

Miriam told me that she was a cook and loved to prepare Spanish dishes, which wasn't surprising given her Hispanic roots. She was nice, not too friendly and not too shy, which was refreshing after the wild array of personalities I had already encountered.

"What do you like best about Hondaruga?" At this point, I was mostly asking random questions to the girls to indulge my curiosity, but they didn't seem to mind.

"I don't know, that's a hard one... probably either being near my best friend, Alessandra, or cooking at a diner near my home. But the weather isn't bad either," Miriam smiled, and I gave a small laugh, even though it wasn't particularly funny.

Overall, Miriam appeared nice, a little sarcastic and curious, but still someone that I wanted to keep around. Lady Ophelia also stuck out to me, definitely in a good way.

"Lady Ophelia, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Please, call me Lia," she smiled at me, a genuine, very pretty smile that complimented her dark curls and tan skin.

"Okay, Lia, tell me about yourself."

Lia explained that she loved reading and was a bit of a daydreamer, but she painted to give her family a steady income. She had always wanted to be an architect or an author, and now that she was a Three, she could actually pursue those careers.

I also noticed Lia's odd sense of humor, but it intrigued me, and I found myself wanting to know more about her.

"It was lovely to meet you, and I can't wait to see you again," I told her as she left, and I meant it.

While Lia had seemed a little shy, she was also very thoughtful and pretty, which was extra points in her column.

Up next was Lady Randi Geaneva, and to be honest, she scared me.

While she was definitely high in the looks department, Randi didn't seem to feel the need to be polite to me, and honestly, I wasn't sure how to handle that. She was a video game producer, and seemed to think I had a taboo on me.

She seemed a little cold and distant, and I didn't want to provoke her. However, she had something about her that made me want to keep her around, if only to attempt to warm her up to me.

Lady Rya Shaw was my next girl, and I immediately liked her.

"You're cuter in person," she told me after she curtsied and sat down. I laughed unintentionally, but from her first line, I decided I liked her.

"What can I say? I suppose I was just born into perfection," I preened, faking a sigh, and Rya laughed, a very cute laugh, I might add.

I talked to Rya for a while, asking her questions about herself, and learned that unlike most Twos with famous fathers, she wasn't very shallow.

On the contrary, Rya wanted to abolish stereotypes and prove that not all Twos were snotty, spoiled brats.

The more Rya talked, the more I liked her, and I definitely respected her wish to break the stereotypes.

She was very bubbly and talkative, and I felt comfortable enough to joke around with her and tease her a bit.

Rya was also very pretty, with thick, curled dark blonde hair, light green eyes, and a sweet, flirty dress on. She was obviously very popular, but also appeared very smart, as well as loyal and a good friend.

She was growing on me, as were the rest of the girls in the competition. Her bubbly nature was definitely attractive, and I had to admit, it was nice to meet a Two without the "I'm better than you" attitude.

After Rya was Lady Sadie Donte, another Two, and I liked her as well. The girl after her was a little fuzzy, as my mind was struggling to keep up with all the names and voices. 35 girls was a lot to handle.

Lady Taryn Mattise, however, made an impression on me that wasn't quite as forgettable.

She was drop dead gorgeous, which said something. However, it wasn't as expected, due to her career as a Classical Music Composer.

I remembered that Kestia had gushed about Taryn, which made me curious about her, but my immediate thought was that Kestia admired her talent more than her personality.

Taryn was polite and nice, but she seemed a little distant, as if she were talking to a different person. I tried to push her a little, but she mostly talked about her love for music.

It was unique that she was a Classical Music Composer instead of a pop artist, considering her attitude and caste, but I wasn't complaining.

After I finished speaking with Taryn, I only had one more girl, and she was the most intimidating of all. Taking a deep breath, I read the mouthful of the name off the paper.

"Princess Annika Müller-Schwan of Germany," I pronounced with difficulty.

The princess had been saved for last due to protocol, and I couldn't say I minded. Kassidy had a high opinion of Princess Annika, so I was rather eager to meet her.

"Prince Anthony," she greeted me and dipped into a graceful curtsy.

"Princess Annika, it's a pleasure to meet you," I said, kissing her hand as she sat down. "Please, tell me a little about yourself."

Annika explained how she was close to her family and loved her country. The longer we talked, the less formal our conversation became, and I saw a side to her that was actually very funny and sweet.

She joked about how she hated war and was terrible at strategies, but loved playing games and being social.

I actually related to her more than I thought I would, and it was nice to have someone who was in the same situation as me.

"I'm really excited for this experience because I can actually make my own friends, you know? So far, all my 'friends' are political allies that my advisors have set up," Annika explained, which I agreed with.

"I know how you feel. After my brother died, my only real friends have been Kassidy Holden, the tutor here, and my head advisor, Jaymes Duke. Apart from that, it's all the political alliances."

We continued to talk for a while longer, and she offered her condolences for my brother.

"It was such a pleasure meeting you, Annika," I smiled as I dismissed her. As much as I enjoyed talking to her, it was a relief to be done with all the introductions.

After getting the girls attention once more, I made an announcement.

"It was lovely meeting with all you ladies, and I hope you are enjoying your stay here," I started loudly as the whispers died down. "First, I would like to introduce Miss Kassidy Holden to you. She will be your tutor during your stay here, but she is also meant to be a friend. If you ever have any questions or need help with anything, please go to here," I instructed as Kassidy stood from her seat and gave a small wave.

An outbreak of giggles and excited whispers began, and I waited for a hush to fall again before I continued speaking.

"Thank you all for your patience, and now, with a heavy heart, I must let several of you go." Every girl sat up a little straighter, with nervous looks etched on all their faces.

"Lady Avery Seth, Lady Heidi Laughly, Lady Clarissa Roberts, Lady Jennifer Parker, and Lady Sofia Bailey." The breath they had been holding was released, and while most of the girl's faces lightened with relief, the five that had been called fell.

"Your bags will be packed by 6 tonight, and you will be home by tomorrow morning at the latest. For the rest of you, you have the afternoon off, and dinner will be held in the dining room tonight at 6:30. Thank you all, and have a lovely afternoon."

I excused myself and left the room, almost collapsing the minute the door closed behind me.

Meeting with all those girls had been exhausting, but it also brought hope, and I was ready for some hope.

* * *

 **hey yall! here's this chapter, it's quite a bit shorter than the last one, but still, very tedious to write. but now that all the introductions are over with, we can actually start the selection! yay! but first, I'd like to give a shoutout to my beautiful reviewers:** Sabinethafangirl, Mastagamerita, jenhen48, alexiaroosenhaan, BandGeek24601, NewRomanticsNeverGoOutOfStyle, FryllaBrille201, wolfofstark, **and** morethanjustastory **! you guys are seriously so great and I love all the support you give me! thanks so much!**

 **also huge shoutout to** CoolForTheSummer **and** morethanjustastory **for submitting 6 awesome covers to the competition, you guys are the best! and the winner is... dun dun dun...** CoolForTheSummer **! but thank y'all for submitting such great covers! I love them all, and it was really hard to choose!  
**

 **I considered writing more for this chapter, because I have another character I need to introduce(not a selected) but I decided that I already gave you enough to digest with 35 girls, so throwing another character into the mix would be too much.**

 **just in case you didn't catch it, the five girls that were eliminated were my own throwaways, so none of your characters have been eliminated yet.**

 **please review and let me know which characters you want to see next chapter! I'll be featuring a character by** CoolForTheSummer **, and I'm planning on having Kassidy's pov, but let me know if there's anyone else y'all want to see!**

 **please review! love y'all!**

 **~Kate**


	11. Ch10 - A Cup of Tea

**Tangled Hearts Ch10 - A Cup of Tea**

hey! sorry for the long wait between chapters, but I promise I'm still here! I'm super excited, because this is the first chapter that's actually part of the selection! **CoolForTheSummer's** character, Colette, is featured in this chapter, so please tell me what you think! I'm also going to work on introducing several new characters, some that were submitted, and some of my own, so let me know your opinion on that. hope yall like it!

* * *

 **Colette Blakely  
**

I huffed in impatience, staring out the window of the woman's room. It was our second day at the palace, and so far, it was going terribly.

According to the rumors, Prince Anthony had already asked a girl out for a date. And it wasn't me. Lady Lily Trend, a Five, was currently walking around the gardens with Anthony, laughing about something he said.

I felt slightly creepy by watching them out the window of the woman's room, but I was starting to panic. My brother had contacted me last night and stressed the importance of winning Anthony's heart, and so far, I wasn't doing a very good job.

I was supposed to be his first date. And I didn't know what to do now that I wasn't.

Turning away, I sighed and viewed the rest of the girls. The majority of the selected were in the women's room, reading, painting, or just sitting there, but I noticed that several were absent.

For example, Lily was obviously gone. So were Echo, Jemma, Artemis, and Rya, who had apparently already become fast friends. Taryn and Kat were whispering in the corner as they filed their nails, occasionally sending murderous glances out the window.

Gracie was moving around the room, apparently greeting everyone and making small talk, and Claire seemed to be sticking to her side.

As I surveyed each of the girls, giving a mental rundown of what they were doing, I felt a flash of pride for already memorizing all their names.

I had made it my job to know as much as I could about the other selected, especially the ones that Anthony seemed to have liked, and I felt that I was doing pretty well so far.

Except for one problem: I hadn't counted Lily. Anthony's reaction to her had been bored, at most, so I hadn't thought to review her. It looked like I was sorely mistaken, as Lily was doing a great job capturing Anthony's attention.

I stood abruptly, surprising Marina, who was sitting right next to me.

"I'm going to retire to my room," I announced before exiting the room gracefully. Luckily, the girl's attention didn't stay on me for long, and they quickly all returned to what they were doing.

The minute I left the room, I made a beeline for the gardens, careful to keep a graceful gait in case I was spotted. The guards let me through the door, one of them giving me a wink as I passed, which I ignored.

The minute I stepped into outside, I took a breath of fresh air, followed by a settled feeling of relief.

I meandered around for a while, mapping out my plan to cross paths with the prince, before making my way to the place I last saw him.

I glimpsed a mop of red hair and caught a faint, high pitched laugh when I halted in my steps and my panic kicked in. Even after years of practice, I still wasn't ready for this. What was I thinking? I couldn't win a prince's heart. This was a very bad idea.

 _It's okay, Colette_ , I reassured myself through deep breathes. I know what to do. I've trained for this. I am confident, graceful, and sweet.

My pep talk worked it's magic as I brushed my dress, breathing deeply to calm my nerves.

Walking over to an engraved bench, I knelt down and read the carvings.

 _In loving memory of King Maxon and Queen America  
This is the bench where our beloved rulers experienced love at first sight_

It seemed fitting that I would have my first moment with Anthony at the same place that the past King and Queen had first met.

I was running my fingers over the engraved words when a squirrel scrambled over my knees, it's small, pattering feet leaving marks on my dress. Letting out a yelp of surprise, I bounded to my feet, jumping back to avoid the death that would follow the squirrel.

"Are you all right?" A concerned voice interrupted my fear as footsteps raced over to me.

"Your Highness," I squeaked, sounding much more timid then I had hoped. This was not going according to plan.

"I'm sorry, there was a squirrel, it startled me," I explained, all to aware of Lily hovering dangerously by Anthony's side.

"Are you sure you're all right?" The look of concern on his face was so sweet, I couldn't keep a smile off my face.

"I think I'm alright, I just feel bad for getting dirt all over this gorgeous dress my maids helped me into," I smiled, gesturing at my soft pink gown. Anthony seemed to agree, nodding satisfactorily as he seemed to make up his mind.

"We'll have to fix that." And with that, he turned to Lily, and for a moment, I thought that he had forgotten about me.

"Miss Lily, it was a pleasure spending time with you," he said, clearly dismissing her.

"Of course. I had such a lovely time, Anthony." I couldn't stop the ping of jealousy that went through my stomach as he waved her goodbye, but I shook it off before he turned back to me.

"Shall we?" Anthony offered his arm to me, looking very formal, but the goofy smile plastered on his face told me his intentions were playful.

Accepting his arm, I offered him a smile, and we walked together, making our way to who knows where.

"Just out of curiosity, where are we going?"

"To apologize to your maids, of course. They work very hard to give you beautiful dresses, and here you are, mistreating them," he scolded me with a tsking sound. Bowing my head, I attempted to look ashamed.

"I formally apologize on behalf of the squirrel that ran across me as I was reading the memorial," I said dramatically, and Anthony gave up the formal ruse and laughed. I giggled along with him, pleased at the comfortable conversation we had going.

"Which memorial were you reading?" He asked curiously, his mind already diverted from the dress.

"The one dedicated to the late King Maxon and Queen America," I informed him, thinking back to the beautifully decorated bench plated with gold and decorated with flowers and vines. "Where they first met."

"My great-grandparents. The best rulers Illéa ever had," he recited in a dignified voice, and I laughed at his impression.

"Queen America was so beautiful," I admired, recalling the portrait I had seen during the palace tour.

Anthony seemed to be distracted again already, and pointed to a large vase that sat in the corner of the room. "See that? I had to spend almost 2 hours glueing together after Kassidy broke it the other day," he laughed, seemingly in his own world.

I gave a small giggle, almost pitying him. The vase was huge, and he did a rather poor job of reassembling it. Glue was showing in several places, and quite a few shards seemed to be crooked.

"I'm very impressed with your glueing skills," I teased, causing him to pout.

"Hey, I worked hard on that!" He protested in complaint, and we bantered on for several more minutes until we reached my room.

"Well, you should go apologize," he reminded me critically.

"Yes, I should," I sighed, seeming uneager to leave.

"But one more thing before you go - would you like to join me on a date this afternoon?" He asked it easily, without much nervousness, so I responded the same.

"I'd love to, thank you for the offer."

"I'll pick you up at 3!" And with that, he left with a small spring in his step, and I closed the door, smiling in accomplishment.

* * *

 **Kassidy Holden**

"You." I glared witheringly at the man smiling brightly at the door, waltzing into the palace like he owned it.

"Me!" He smiled cheerfully, bouncing forward to shake my hand. "It's been too long, Kassidy. How are you?"

Finick Aimes, the head advisor of England, was taking a 'short visit' at the palace, claiming that he wanted to watch the selection process to find a suitable bride for the crown prince of France.

Normally, I was fine with visitors. For example, Princess Isabella Carlos was arriving at the palace in 30 minutes, and I was eager to greet her. Finick, however, was an entirely different problem.

He had first visited about 10 years ago, when Anthony and I were kids, and he was the biggest bully ever. He and Anthony ganged up against me, pulling pranks and making fun of me for the months that he stayed. Eventually, Anthony grew out of it, but Finick remained just as childish and immature as ever.

Every time he visited, he thought it necessary to bring up the embarrassing stages of my life, and he would constantly provoke me, wearing out my patience.

"You're not supposed to be here for another 2 days!" I cried out, wincing as I heard the whine in my voice.

"Kass, I thought you missed me! I'm wounded," he frowned at me, placing a hand over his heart.

"Don't call me Kass," I snapped. "We don't have your bedroom prepared yet, and it won't be done till tomorrow, with all the hustle of the selection, so you might need to sleep in the stables tonight," I informed him, but the prideful, ignorant look on his face only grew.

"I'm fine with that, love. I just adore spending time with horses, don't you?" Huffing with impatience, I stalked off, pushing Finick and his annoying English accent out of my head.

I still needed to finish preparing for Isabella, who would be here soon. In addition, Princess Margarete had vowed that she would stop by sometime this month, and I couldn't afford to be unprepared.

As eager as I was to spend time with all the selected girls, it would have to wait.

I spent the next half hour scurrying around the palace, making arrangements for all of the Princesses' things and advising the maids to wait until tomorrow to prepare Finick's room.

I was heading toward the entrance when I collided with Gracie, who happened to be going in the same direction as me.

"Miss Kassidy," she greeted me warmly, melting my frenzied attitude. Even though I hadn't spent much quality time with any of the girls yet, so far, Gracie was one of my favorites.

"Please, just call me Kassidy," I told her, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the title. "Are you enjoying your stay so far?" I decided to make conversation as long as we were headed to same way.

"Yes, the whole palace is so beautiful! All the girls are so sweet, and my maids are wonderful, they've done so much for me already," Gracie gushed, and I beamed at her. Definitely a favorite.

"I'm so glad you like it here! Please tell me if there's anything you need," I offered.

It was that exact moment when the doors were flung open and Princess Isabella stepped inside.

"Princess Isabella! Bienvenido! It's a pleasure to have you," I welcomed the Spanish princess, quickly stepping forward to assist her with her bags. "How was your trip?" Isabella seemed to struggle to comprehend my words, and I was reminded that she didn't speak fluent English.

"¿Como estuvo tu viaje?" Gracie came to my aid and translated my words, and I threw a grateful smile at her.

"Muy bien, gracias," she smiled pleasantly, and then attempted to switch to English. "I thank you for giving your home."

"Of course, it's our pleasure. Es un placer," I repeated, making sure she understood me.

Spain had recently been invaded, and though the royal family had pushed them out, the king and queen had sent their daughter here for the time being, and I wasn't complaining. I knew the risks of staying in your palace during dangerous times, and I was glad Isabella would be safe.

The princess seemed to remember her manners and turned to Gracie.

"Soy la princesa Isabel de España, es un placer conocerlo," she greeted her, and Gracie seemed to catch the gist of her words.

"Me llamo Gracie, encantado de conocerte." They shook hands, and I admired Gracie's welcoming nature.

"Isabella, please tell me if there's anything you need. Make yourself at home," I offered, and she appeared to understand most of my invitation, and smiled hesitantly.

After she left, I turned to Gracie.

"Where did you learn such good Spanish?" I wondered with astonishment. Though Gracie had looked smart, she was a Six, and most Six's couldn't afford a good enough education to learn other languages.

"I'm a flight attendant, so it's mandatory to know the basics of several other languages. I've picked up on quite a few things," she told me brightly, earning my respect.

"Impressive," I teased her. We talked a bit more before parting ways, and I couldn't help but think that her optimism would be good for Anthony.

Even though I was originally worried that the amount of girls might overwhelm him, the more time I spent with them, the more I realized that this was an opportunity for him, and if he held onto it, he could get places.

And I wanted that for him more than anything.

* * *

 **hey donuts! I'm gona apologize again on the long wait between chapters, but in my defense, writer's block is terrible. I rewrote this chapter several times, and I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but I think this is about as good as it's gona get.**

 **I'm guessing that several of you noticed that Lily Trend, Anthony's first date, is a throwaway. there is a reason for that, so yall just need to be patient. don't worry, she's not gona end up with him, I just needed his first date to be a throwaway for the next couple chapters to happen.**

 **a note on Anthony's speed dating: he's literally going to have about five dates a day, and several group dates, and this is not just because of his personality. in case you forgot, he has 3 months to fall in love, so he has to speed the selection process along, which means lots of dates very quickly.**

 **now, for you non spanish speakers, the rough translation of the conversation with the spanish princess is like this: How was your flight? Very well, thank you. It's a pleasure. I'm Princess Isabella of Spain, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Gracie, it's nice to meet you.**

 **thanks to all you sweet donuts for the reviews, I love reading them!** MastaGamerita, alexiaroosenhaan, Sabinethafangirl, LadyCrystalBeach, Silvertrue, CoolForTheSummer, BandGeek24601, FryllaBrille201, **and** XOStarbrightXO **for your sweet reviews! I love the feedback and support, yall are the best!**

 **I'm going to try to update more regularly, but please review and tell me who you want to see in the next chapter! I'm going to have a poll on who yall want to see Anthony go on dates with, I promise I'll take your opinions into consideration;)**

 **I also know that this is a shorter chapter, but it's more of a filler and I needed to get that in before anything else happened. please review, I love yall!**

 **~kate**


	12. Ch11 - Over My Dead Body

**Tangled Hearts Ch 11 - Over My Dead Body**

here's the next update! thanks so much for all the amazing reviews yall have given me! I love the support and am overwhelmed by how many reviews I've gotten! thanks so much! this chapter gets pretty intense, so don't be reading it to your five year olds or anything, but it's rated T for a reason. here ya go!

* * *

 **Prince Anthony  
**

It had been about 3 days since the selection officially started, and I was already getting the hang of it. I had a schedule for my dates so I got around 2 in a day, and I still had time for political meetings, discussions, and food.

My flirting skills had also majorly improved, and I was feeling pretty confident.

Over the past 2 days, I already had 4 dates. Lily Trend, a vibrant redhead, was my first, and it took lots of mulling and indecisiveness to come to that decision, but I didn't regret it.

Lily was sweet, fun, flirty, and overall made for a great first date. I wasn't complaining about her, but then again, compared to my date with Colette, which followed hers, she seemed pathetic.

Colette and I had a picnic by the beach, which took an unexpected turn of events. Being the considerate man I was, I thought it would be fun to eat at the beach, where we both loved it, and have a ton of food like chocolate cake and such. It started out pretty well, and Colette looked cute, but then sand got in our food. Like, in all of our food.

I had tried to salvage some and eat the rest of the chocolate cake, but I couldn't get a mouthful without gritty sand filing my teeth. It wasn't very pleasant.

So, after that, I had the brilliant idea to go search for sand dollars. Because even though I had never once in my life seen them on this beach before, it was incredibly likely that we would find them. It was simply brilliant.

Obviously, our hours of toil led to nothing, but Colette did find a jellyfish, which had to count for something. She didn't get stung, but teased me about the lack of security at the beach.

Overall, we had a great time, and I learned a lot more about Colette. She was accommodating and fun, and we had lots of things in common. I was planning on keeping her around for a while.

However, we easily lost track of time, and ended up staying at the beach until 6 at night, and I was wiped. Therefore, I decided to limit myself to two dates per day.

The next morning, I asked Rya out, and I was rather excited about this one, as Kassidy and I had spent the night before planning out the date.

I took Rya sightseeing around Angeles, and I laughed more in 10 minutes than I have in the past 2 months. Rya was vibrant and extroverted, and though she seemed a little hesitant at first, she opened up pretty quickly.

We visited all my favorite places in Angeles, and she was in awe of the beauty.

It made me realize that I had taken its beauty for granted, and I found myself admiring it along with her. Rya also insisted that we visit the shopping mall, as it was the largest mall in the country.

Though I had groaned as she dragged me into all the different shops, squealing as she went, it was rather adorable. She was so excited to see everything, and I almost felt honored for having the privilege to take her out.

Rya and I also talked quite a bit, and she was so outgoing and sweet and passionate that it was hard not to have a good time.

She seemed very motivated to set a good example and change the stereotypes of Twos being stuck up and snobby, and I admired her for it. It also made me think about what kind of example I was setting as a Prince. However, I didn't dwell on that for too long.

We talked about a variety of things, and she made me laugh countless times over the 3 hours we spent together.

After my date with Rya, I realized just how hard the selection would be. I had already become attached to many of the girls, and letting them go seemed difficult now, when I wasn't falling in love with them.

I didn't dwell on this thought for my date with Miriam, however, which wasn't any less fun than my last two.

While she was a little more reserved than Colette and Rya, Miriam was still fun to be around. Our date started in the observatory, but after a good ten minutes of awkward silence, I realized that it was a little too early to see the stars.

From there, we decided to head to the kitchen and cook. Miriam was obviously of Hispanic descent, so I thought it'd be nice to make some Spanish dishes. It soon became clear that I was not a good cook.

Though Miriam never got outright frustrated with me, it was a wonder that she hadn't scolded me more harshly for destroying our meal several times.

I was also inclined to eat some of the good while she was still cooking, forcing her to beat me with a wooden spoon.

When it was finally properly prepared, the food was wonderful, and I was overflowing with compliments toward Miriam. She was an incredibly cook, and while we ate, she told me a little about her life and family.

It was interesting to learn about her habits and lifestyle, and I found myself oddly enthralled with the stories of her childhood.

Recounting all of my dates made me feel a little like a player. I went on about a date with one girl for several minutes before switching to the next like they were toys. How was I supposed to have 30 girlfriends at once?

Shaking my head in disgust, I snapped myself back into the present and mentally reviewed which girls I still needed dates with. Which was most of them.

But there were still two girls that I felt I hadn't especially connected with, so I was gonna go with a gut feeling and kick them out. It proved to be much more difficult then I had expected.

"Lady Sadie, Lady Emily," I greeted them with a smile as the two girls walked into my study. I hadn't spent much time with either of these girls, but my first impression during the interviews had been less then pleasant. They were both Twos, models and actresses, and both seemed to have the stuck up attitude that Rya was so against.

"I appreciate both of you coming here," I delayed, seeing Sadie's threatening glare. "But I'm afraid that your time here has come to an end."

I incited a riot, and the two girls threw me a barage of insults, pleads, and cries, but I stood firm.

"I insist that you leave. You're acting very unprofessional," I reminded them, causing them to storm out furiously. It should not have given me nearly enough pleasure, but I wasn't too sad to see them go.

As I watched Sadie and Emily pack their bags, I felt as if a weight had been lifted from my chest. Two less girls to worry about.

I did feel slightly guilty for being so harsh about it, but those girls could use a dose of reality.

I considered resting, just sitting and doing nothing for the first time this week, but immediately rejected the idea. It was in moments of idleness that the pain was the worst.

It had been hard enough loosing both of my parents to disease several years ago, but at least I had Derick and Josie to help me through it. They were both so strong, so encouraging when the country was falling apart. But I wasn't like them.

Now that they were gone, I was all alone. Kassidy and Jaymes tried to help me, but they didn't understand what it was like. I wasn't prepared to take the throne. I wasn't prepared to get married. I wasn't prepared to lose my brother.

No one knew the scars I still held from those nights. Falling into an unsettling sleep with a feeling of dread in my stomach. Waking up groggily to the phone ringing, a long string of babbling, but only two words stuck out to me that night:

"They're dead." Josie and Derick. My brother and friend. I remember being numb after that, having to give speeches about mourning and pulling through this.

They said that time healed all wounds, but this one just seemed to be getting bigger.

I was startled out of my depressing reverie when I ran face first into a girl. I had been so caught up in my pathetic thoughts, I hadn't even noticed where I was pacing.

Shaking myself into the present, I remember my manners.

"Lady Gracie, I'm so sorry," I apologized, wincing as I helped her up from the floor. I was mentally cursing myself for knocking this girl down when I noticed how pretty she looked.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you," she responded sweetly, but I wasn't about to let it go.

"I think you should go to the hospital wing, just to be safe," I worried, and she blushed in reply.

"Really, I'm fine," she protested, but giggled slightly when I put my hand on her back and escorted her to the hospital wing.

"I insist. I'd be a terrible suitor if I barrelled into you and didn't even offer to get you help," I noted seriously, and she giggled a little.

"How are you enjoying yourself so far?"

"Oh, it's all so wonderful here! The palace is beautiful, I've loved exploring it, and the bathrooms are so luxurious..." Gracie trailed off uncertainly, as if fearful that she had said too much.

"I'm so glad you like it! Is there anything that could be improved?" I really didn't know what I was saying, but I wanted so desperately for Gracie to open up and fit Kassidy's description of her that my mouth was moving faster than my brain.

"No, of course not! It's all so wonderful. But..." she hesitated a moment. "I mean, it'd be really great to go out on the beach, but the guard haven't let me leave. You know, for safety precautions and stuff," she explained, putting air quotes around the words 'safety precautions.'

"I'll have to change that," I determined. "How would you like to accompany me on a date later today? To the beach?" I had meant for it to come out as clever and silly, but it ended up sounding stupid and dorky.

"I would love that," she beamed at me, and I felt a flush of pride. For the rest of the walk to the hospital wing, I mentally planned our date.

After reassuring us that she was perfectly fine, I parted with Gracie and let the child inside me come out as I arranged our upcoming date.

 **Claire Morrison  
**

The day started off well enough. It was bright and sunny, with birds chirping and the faint sound of waves crashing against the shore soothing me.

I had joined Gracie, Lacey, and Echo in the woman's room, but I simply sat and read, contrasting to Gracie's consistent chattering. However, she managed to get me involved in some conversation, and I learned a little more about Lacey.

Even though Gracie was easily conversing with Echo, she still made me nervous. The girl was gorgeous, but she obviously didn't know it.

She wasn't nearly as outgoing as Gracie, but after some pushing, she actually seemed to be enjoying herself.

I had tentatively asked her about herself, but she wasn't nearly as open to me as she was to Gracie. I wasn't sure how to behave to her, due to her eyesight, so our conversations were awkward and one sided.

I gave up on that conversation pretty quickly, not daring to give her more reasons to form negative opinions about me.

After spending a lazy morning in the woman's room, I decided to explore the palace. The other girls had all drifted apart and were working individually, so I left the room without asking them to join me.

I spent the most of the next two hours meandering around the castle and admiring the exquisite detail of the place. The gowns, the meals, the rooms... it was all so amazingly perfect. My only wish was that Callie would be here to experience with me.

I was making my way up a staircase when I ran into someone for the second time in 4 days.

This time, however, I recognized him immediately.

"Oh, your highness! I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking..." I trailed off uncertainly after dipping into an unstable curtsy.

Anthony gave me a goofy, lopsided grin that caused my heart to flutter.

"Don't worry, Claire, it was my fault. I've been preoccupied with my thoughts," he laughed easily, but I was caught up on one word half way through his sentence. He remembered my name. I know that we already had an interview, but he also interviewed 34 other girls, and that's a lot of names to remember.

Not to mention, I didn't exactly stand out.

Anthony seemed to notice my startled expression and scrunched his eyebrows together, seemingly running through his sentence to catch his mistake.

"Lady Claire," he corrected himself hurriedly. "I'm sorry, did I offend you? I didn't mean too..." his sentence slipped off, and I almost laughed at the uncertainty in his eyes. His eyes were wide and apologetic, and I found myself getting a little too distracted with them.

"Oh no! I'm just surprised that you remembered my name, that's all," I explained, not wanting to sound stuck up.

"Oh." He visibly relaxed as an easy smile overtook his face again. "I made a point to remember all the girls names. Don't worry, Kassidy helped me," he added with a wink, and I giggled a bit.

He was being so friendly and acting like we had known each other for forever, and I wasn't quite sure how to respond.

An awkward silence fell between us, and I scrambled as my mind rapidly attempted to make conversation.

"So, how are you dealing with the selection after the king's death?" Even though the words came out as gentle and sensitive, I cringed as they left my mouth. Not even a minute into the conversation and I had already ruined it.

"Wow, way to go straight for the deep questions," Anthony chuckled, but his smile had slipped a bit.

"I'm so sorry, that was not at all polite. You don't need to answer that," I hurried, my cheeks burning in mortification. _He must think I'm some inconsiderate idiot,_ I mourned.

"No, it's okay." He took a shaky breath, collecting his thoughts before he responded. "It's been hard, really hard, especially since my brother was one of my best friends and role models. But all the girls are great company, and they're really understanding," he finished with a smile.

"I'm glad." I stood uncomfortably for another moment before looking up to meet his eyes. His warm, honest, gorgeously brown eyes.

I blushed, shaking myself from my train of thought before it went too far.

"How would you like to join me for a date tomorrow?" The words slipped out of his mouth easily, and I nearly fell over at the proposal.

"I'd love to," I responded without thinking, but immediately panicked. A date? Already? I had hoped that I would have at least a week to prepare myself for a date, not 3 days! But you couldn't exactly say no to the prince, so I found myself agreeing with a smile.

"I'll be counting the seconds," he smiled before excusing himself.

He asked me on a date? He asked _me_ on a _date?_ I wasn't ready for a date! I had never even had a boyfriend before! And this the the prince! How was I supposed act? What was I supposed to wear? What if he kissed me? What if I didn't like it? Even more, what if I did?

I was too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice where I was going, and found myself instinctively winding toward my safe haven: the library.

The library always seemed to calm me, and now was the perfect time to clear my thoughts. Something about being surrounded by books made me feel protected and at home.

I was running my fingers over the spines of the books, admiring the size and beauty of it. Picking a book at random, I flipped it open when I heard a crash, followed by a string of curses.

I edged toward the sound, hesitating when I heard even more crashes. However, my curiosity got the best of me and I peeked around the corner, bracing myself for a variety of things. However, what I didn't expect to see was Jaymes.

I let out a tiny gasp of surprise, drawing his attention up to me. I blushed, clutching the book to my chest as I stammered an apology.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll just go." I was about to turn to leave when he stopped me.

"Wait! Lady Claire," he called, and I started at the formal use of my name. Though it sounded nice from a distance, the formality made me uncomfortable.

"Please, just call me Claire," I told him.

"Claire," he smiled, as if testing the way it rolled off his tongue. "I was looking for a specific book, so I climbed the latter," he motioned to the towering object beside him, "but then I couldn't find it so pulled about five out. Unfortunately, that required both of my hands, so I took a bit of a tumble," he laughed in explanation.

I noticed the slew of books around him, and felt a small glimmer of happiness that he was in the library, looking for a book.

It was probably some law book, as he was an advisor, but it still made me happy to know that I wasn't the only one to take random trips to the library in the middle of the day.

"Are you alright?" I realized that I probably should have shown a little more concern, as he had just fell off a latter with a cascade of books landing on top of him, but after surveying him up and down, he looked fine.

"Oh, yes. It was only 3 feet up, after all," he grinned sheepishly as if embarrassed of his childlike urge to climb the latter. I couldn't contain a small laugh, and he grinned at me.

"That's good." For the second time that day, I was surrounded by silence, but this was a comfortable silence.

"Well, I should get going," he finally said, sorting through the pile of books before settling on one. I tried to hide my disappointment with a sweet smile.

"Yeah." He stared at me for a moment, studying my face before turning away.

"It was nice seeing you again, Claire," he smirked at me.

"You too, Mr. Duke." He cringed at the sound of his name.

"Please, just call me Jaymes," he said lightly, repeating my previous suggestion.

"Jaymes," I teased, but I felt slightly uncomfortable calling the head advisor by his first name. I wasn't even technically supposed to speak to him unless he spoke to me first, let alone be so informal with him. But something about the way he was smiling at me encouraged me.

"See you soon!" Without thinking, I bounced out of the library, hoping I didn't look too peppy as I went.

I couldn't help but smile as I wandered through the castle, exploring deeper and deeper into the passages, but I wasn't sure if it was from my encounter with Jaymes or Anthony.

However, I purposely guided my thoughts away from Jaymes, thinking about Anthony and our upcoming date, which wasn't too hard to get giddy about.

The longer I walked, the farther I traveled away from the main corridor, and the more lost I got. I realized with a start that I had no idea where I was, and I was actually in a part of the palace that wasn't gilded with gold and white pillars.

Instead, I was going deeper and deeper into a place that didn't look like the palace at all.

There was almost no light reaching the area, and the floors were dark and littered with dust and dirt. The winding stairwell was narrow and foreboding, containing lurking shadows and dull wooden spikes that poked their heads out of the railing.

The hall was musty and damp, and small thumps echoed their way through cracked doors.

I took a step back, wincing as the floorboard creaked beneath me. My body tingled with nerves as I edged toward the door I came from, but I halted to a stop before I could exit.

A strangely metallic smell had reached my nose, and the distant thumps were coming closer. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I fought between my two urges: fight or flight.

Every bone in my body screamed for me to run, but I was glued to the floor. The thumps came to a stop, halting just beyond the door I was standing by. This is the point where all the brave protagonists in the books would peak beyond the corner and save the day by catching the culprit, but I was too terrified to do anything but stand stock still.

After a moment, I heard the soft pattering of footsteps receding along the halls, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

When the hall was once again silent, I crept forward and nervously pulled myself around the corner. It took me a moment to scan the hall, and I saw the dark swish of a cloak disappear at the end.

And then I let out a scream. A terrible, piercing scream that let out all the fear and horror I was beholding.

Because when I looked down, I noticed my feet were soaked in a pool of blood. Blood that was streaming from Lily's split throat where she lay, dead on the ground.

* * *

 **ooohh scary I know. it is a little violent, but it's almost halloween, so i feel like it fits. this is why Lily was chosen as Anthony's first date. She's not a threat, so yall don't have to worry... except maybe about who killed her... hehe I feel evi**

 **sorry for the late update, I've been so busy, but now it's fall break! therefore, I promise to give yall at least 2 updates within the next week! I have the next few chapter mapped out and plenty of time on my hands, so they shouldn't take too long.**

 **now you guys have to tell me what you think! the next chapter will reveal a bit more, and will be even more violent then this one, but I warned you. also, one of the next chapters will be introducing a halloween ball, so if yall want to start looking at costumes for your characters, that'd be great!**

 **thanks so much to all my lovely reviewers,** Sabinethafangirl, alexiaroosenhaan, XOStarbrightXO, Lady Crystal Beach, Fryllabrille201, jenhen48, morethanjustastory, CoolForTheSummer, **and** MastaGamerita **! yall are so supportive and such great reviewers and I love you so much!**

 **thanks so much for all the feedback and support, I really appreciate it!**

 **please review and tell me what you thought! also, now that all the throwaways are out, I'm putting up a poll as to who your favorite girl is so far. all the characters will be included (main, supporting, and minor) so don't forget to vote and tell me your favorite! I will be taking who you guys like best into consideration, so please leave your feedback!**

 **now, for the questions!**

 **-what did you think of Anthony's dates?**

 **-would you like to see his upcoming dates with gracie and claire?**

 **-and most importantly: who do you think murdered lily?**

 **please review and vote! I love all you little waffles!**

 **-kate**


	13. Ch12 - Pull Me Closer

**Tangled Hearts Ch12 - Pull Me Closer**

here it is donuts! the next chapter! sorry to leave you on such a cliffie last time, but I loved all the reviews I got! like holy crap! we reached 100! yay! thank yall so much for all the love and support! you guys are the best reviewers in the world, I can't believe we're already at 100 reviews with only 12 chapters! I love yall so much, so in appreciation, I updated twice in a week, and I'm hoping to update once more before halloween.

speaking of which, the halloween ball is coming up, it will be announced in the next chapter. I'm hoping that will come sometime this week, and then the actual ball itself will be within the next month. so please let me know you're characters costumes and pin it on their boards! also, I'm planning on making a halloween board, so pin anything you think is appropriate for the halloween ball on it!

this chapter is pretty intense, and the last pov was written by **Hofund.** huge shoutout to you for created such wonderful characters and helping come up with plots! sorry if it's confusing since none of those characters have been introduced, but please review and tell me what you think!

without further ado, here it is!

* * *

 **Gracie's POV  
**

I was giddy with excitement the whole afternoon. This was it! My first date with Anthony!

The moment I got back from the hospital wing, I had told my maids, and then squealed with excitement for a good five minutes. Immediately after, they rushed to pick out a dress and perfect my hair and makeup.

An hour later, I was in perfect shape for a day on the beach.

My maids found the perfect dress that fell to my knees in a striped pattern of white and light blue, and a simple lace pattern decorated the top. The dress was loose enough for me to fit a swimsuit underneath without it being noticeable.

My hair was brushed through and then braided into a high ponytail, and the ends were curled. My makeup was kept at a minimum, and even though the outfit was simple, I felt beautiful.

At 2 o'clock sharp, a brisk knock silenced our whispered anticipations and nervous chatting, and I left my maids to answer the door.

Anthony stood with a single rose in his hand in casual attire, looking both nervous and excited.

"Lady Gracie - er - Gracie," he greeted me, looking slightly bashful. "You look beautiful." I blushed at the compliment, taking the rose he handed me.

"Thank you. You do too. I mean, you don't look beautiful, you - well, not like that, I mean, er - you look handsome," I stammered, feeling the rush of red creeping up my cheeks. I ducked my head in embarrassment, but Anthony laughed and held out his arm for me.

Sliding my hand into the crook of his elbow, I shot a nervous look at my maids, and they responded with big smiles and thumbs up.

Holding onto that encouragement, I closed the door and followed Anthony as he began walking down the hall. We were encompassed in an uncomfortable silence for the remainder of the walk, but thankfully, my room was on the lowest floor of the palace, so it wasn't too long.

We took a back exit, and the moment we stepped onto the beach, the tension in my chest dissolved.

The salty air invaded my lungs, and the gentle pounding of the waves crashing onto the shore filled my ears. The faint cry of seagulls reached us, and I almost laughed. I was at home.

Anthony seemed to notice the change, and looked at me with a grin.

"I take it that you like the beach?"

"I love it!" Kicking off my shoes, I dug my feet into the soft sand, warm from the sun's heat.

"Do you spend most of your time at the beach?" Anthony inquired, imitating me as he shed his shoes.

"I wish! I'm a flight attendant, but the moment I get back to Clermont, I head for the beach. What about you? Living on the beach, you should get plenty of opportunities," I teased him.

"Well..." he said sheepishly. I gasped in fake horror, but before I could say anything, he justified himself. "I wish I could, I really love the ocean, but being the prince, you don't really get as much free time as you'd think," he complained, but I wasn't satisfied.

"Well, we'll have to make up for that."

Pulling him along, I skipped toward the ocean, coming to a stop when the water lapped at our feet.

"You're right. I don't spend nearly enough time here," Anthony announced with a sigh, and I nodded in agreement.

"If you're not out here, what do you do most of the time?" It felt like a stupid question, but I really was curious. What did royalty spend all their time doing, if not attending balls and political meetings?

Antony seemed to consider it for a moment before responding.

"Well, there are meetings, and discussions, and laws that need to be approved, and lessons, and treaties, and now there's the selection," he babbled. "But this is a much needed break." He stood there for another moment before he realized what I was doing.

"Hey!" With a cry, he ducked out of the way, but I had already splashed him. Laughing, I cupped my hands and threw another splash of water at him, causing him to further retreat into the water.

"That's unfair! I can't splash a girl!" He complained, and I laughed. However, he relented quickly, throwing a spray of water into my face.

I gasped, faking horror, before bending down. "Oh, you're in for it now," I warned him, but before I could collect and water, he charged at me.

Shrieking, I attempted to run, but the water and sand weighed me down, and before I knew it, Anthony had picked me up and swung me over his shoulder.

"Hey! You can't do that!" He was laughing, seemingly unaffected as I pounded him on the back. He walked deeper and deeper into the water, not wavering an inch, and finally dumped me under. Gasping, I emerged and glared at him, but he was too busy laughing to notice.

"You got my dress all wet!" Even though it was a shallow complaint, I was disappointed that this gorgeous dress was soaked.

Anthony looked horrified and ashamed, as if he hadn't thought about the consequences of dumping me in the middle of the ocean.

"Gracie, I'm so sorry, I promise I'll make it up to you!" He appeared so concerned, and had even grabbed my hands, and I almost felt bad for laughing.

"It's okay, silly, it's only a dress," I teased, and his face broke into a relieved smile before he decided he needed to get revenge. Throwing me over his shoulder once more, he carried me back to the shore, making sure to splash me as much as possible in the process.

"Bully," I accused, gasping when he finally let me down.

He shrugged modestly. "What can I say?"

It was then that we both realized that we were soaked to the bone, and a soft wind chilled me. Anthony turned away as I peeled off my dress, feeling better in my swimsuit, but also slightly uncomfortable.

He turned around and I realized that he had torn his shirt off, revealing tanned skin and rock solid abs.

I blushed, but couldn't seem to look away. When he noticed my dress hanging limply in my arms and my gaze unwavering, he gave me a lopsided grin and tossed his shirt onto the sand. I carefully laid my dress next to his, careful not to let too much sand on it.

I hated ruining such a beautiful dress, but I was confident that my maids could fix it up easily.

"So, what do you want to do now?"

Upon my request, we spent the next two hours scuba diving, and I pointed out different types of coral and fish that he sadly knew nothing about. It was the most fun I had had in a long time, and even when we finished scuba diving, we played on the beach.

We had sand castle competitions, which I won, and went looking for seashells. He seemed reluctant at first, but warmed up when he believed he had very impressive sea shells.

Eventually, when we were both tired, we went for a walk on the beach.

"If you could be anything but a prince, what would you be?" I asked him.

"Well..." he pondered for a moment, stroking his chin as a quizzical look overtook his face, and I bit back a laugh. "I've always wanted to travel, go on adventures, you know? And that's what I was planning on doing, but then Derick died, and that opportunity was taken away from me." Anthony seemed a little wistful, but also resigned.

"Really? I've always wanted to go on adventures and see new places. That's what I love about being a flight attendant. I've always imagined what it would be like to go on a real adventure," I told him, skipping with excitement.

"Well, I'll have to take you on one sometime," he stated matter-o-factly.

"I'd like that," I responded happily. We started to loop around back to the palace, and on the long trek back we talked a lot more.

I really connected with him, and we shared our experiences and hardships. Even though I hadn't suffer through the loss of my whole family like him, I knew injustice, and we related.

When we finally reached the palace, a blanket had been set up, and he requested that we lay down and watch the sunset.

It was the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen. The sky was painted with a vibrant display of pink, orange, and purple, and it left a reflection on the water. I instinctively grabbed Anthony's hand, and I thought he squeezed it, but it could have been my imagination.

As the sun set, I turned on my side to face him, and he followed my example.

"Thank you," I whispered, and he looked confused, so I elaborated. "For this whole day. It was like a dream come true," I smiled, glowing with happiness.

"I'm glad," he replied, lacing his fingers through mine.

My heart beat rapidly as I realized how close we were. A mere two inches separates our faces, and we both leaned closer. My breath hitched as his lips came closer, closer, and -

"You're majesty!" I let out a breath of disappointment as a deep voice called for Anthony's attention. He sighed, studying my face before giving me a peck on the cheek.

"I'll be right back," he whispered before pushing himself up and going to address the man that had interrupted our date. However, I still felt giddy. I may not have gotten the kiss I hoped for, but he still kissed my cheek!

A tingling sensation remained where his lips touched me, and I lifted up my fingers to touch it. I heard Anthony and another man discussing things in dark tones, but didn't think much of it.

A moment later, Anthony's face came into view again, but he looked horrified and weak.

"What is it?" I asked, propping myself up on one elbow. I wanted so badly to reach out and tuck his hair behind his ear, to soothe him and make all his pain go away. To kiss him. But I refrained.

"It's Lily," he gasped, trembling as if on the verge of tears. I frowned, pushing down a stab of jealousy at the mention of his first date. "She's dead."

* * *

 **Jaymes Duke**

I paced back and forth, wearing down the soft rug with the path of my feet.

Kassidy was right beyond the door next to me, informing the girls of what had just happened. She was attempting to calm them down and go over the safety precautions, and her voice was amplified with the microphone she was speaking with.

However, her voice was just a dull nagging in the back of my mind. I was focused on other things.

Lady Lily Trend was dead. She had been found at 6:02pm, and her death was estimated to have been around five minutes before, at 5:57pm. Her body was found in a secluded section of the east wing on the second floor.

No one had been there in several months, and many people had forgotten that it existed at all.

Her throat had been slit, and the killer had escaped before they could be captured. Claire had found her body and screamed, alerting the nearest maids. It had taken almost half an hour for word to circulate, and Anthony was being alerted right now.

Those were the facts. But there were so many questions hanging in the air. Questions that I did not have answers to.

I hadn't killed the girl, and I had no clue who did. However, they didn't do a very good job of it.

They hid the body in the castle, and however secluded, the lack of skill proved their incompetence. Blood was smeared on the walls and floors for several hundred feet behind the body, so they obviously didn't cover their tracks well. It appeared that they didn't even try.

And that was what worried me. If someone in the castle was willing to kill so recklessly, no one was safe.

At least I was confident my targets would be killed cleanly with no trace. But I wasn't planning on targeting anyone until I was positive Anthony was attached to them. It would be inconvenient to kill girls that Anthony had no intention of marrying.

So far, it was too early in the competition to pinpoint Anthony's favorites, so there was no point in killing any girls yet.

Therefore, this worried me. For a moment, my mind flashed to Claire, picturing her sweet face in the library as she struggled to hold back laughter.

Sweet innocent Claire might be killed. Claire who was also part of Anthony's selection.

Shaking my head in disgust, I pushed her out of my mind and focused my attention on something else. If I didn't kill Lily Trend, then who did? A nagging suspicion crept up, but I pushed it down. There was no way... But I had to check. Just in case.

* * *

 **Third Person POV**

"So, my friend, what do you think of this Jaymes' proposal?" Emperor Jing asked.

He didn't get an immediate reply. Jing was used to it. The Commander-in-Chief of the New Asian Navy and New Asian Intelligence was not a person of many words. If Jing hadn't earned his friendship and trust in early childhood, he doubted he'd get such a brilliant friend and subordinate either.

And Kiriga Durand was loyal in every sense of the word.

Jing knew Kiriga was better, but after all these years, it was clear to the young Emperor that his friend of the same age did not want to contest him for the throne even if he would easily win. He nabbed a piece of dried sausage with his chopsticks and chewed.

"His claims are authentic. His power and popularity far surpasses that of the current ruler of New Asia. However...do you want me to speak as your advisor or as your brother-by-vow?"

"Both. As my advisor?"

"We could always let him do the dirty work for us. As far as I see in this letter, all the other countries in on the plot are no match for the might of New Asia even if they pooled all their power together, which they most likely can't and won't. By attacking and seizing Illea right after the takeover, while the new owner of the throne isn't completely stable with it, we could conquer Illea or make it a colony. Either way, we will get Illean technology and high-skilled labor at next to no cost. It's a very good deal. Even if you're too principled to do that, we could get a lot more people inside Illea, which makes any plans to conquer it a lot easier."

"As my brother, then?"

"This Jaymes is too petty. From the report received, he's basically the King except in name. And he still isn't satisfied. He's opened the doors of Illea to even hungrier wolves in other countries. He even trying to get us on his side. I'm sure this isn't the first correspondence you've received from him."

"True. I've gotten a few letters, although I told him I needed time to think his offer over."

"Don't take it. Prince Anthony...has more potential than anyone I've ever seen. And the claim that Jaymes has control over Anthony's private secret army is too good to be true. They're most likely biding their time unless they've broken their oaths-which, if my impression of Illeans is right, they never break an oath after they make it. I'll go to Illea and discuss his offer with him. And then I will talk to the Prince...without Jaymes knowing."

"That's not possible. Jaymes' power in the Capital of Illea-"

"Is nothing compared to my private guard." Emperor Jing felt a chill go down his back as he remembered how one man from that guard had taken down a squad of his Secret Royal Guard...with one hand tied behind his back.

"I think I'll take Makayla there too."

"Eh? You're not planning to be the Prince of Illea's brother-in-law, are you?"

Kiriga shrugged. "She's always wanted to see the Illean palace and its art. Not to mention she's clever enough to help out Anthony, as well. She can take care of herself."

The Emperor smirked. "And what are you going to talk to Prince Anthony about?"

"I'll tell him half the truth and offer assistance in return for better diplomatic relations with Illea."

"While you're at it, tell him I want the parallel importing of high-class china and tea stopped on their end. With laws."

"Will do." Suddenly, Kiriga tensed. He snapped his fingers. Emperor Jing's smiling face fell, replaced by a solemn mask of a ruler. Scruffling was heard from outside the room. There was a knock.

"In."

One of Kiriga's Shadow Guard dragged in a maid. He pressed her into a kneeling position and threw an earpiece along with a badge in front of her. Another came in behind him.

"Eavesdropping. Illean spy." Kiriga stood up and crushed the earpiece beneath his heel, making sure to destroy the tape and transmitter. The maid let out a tiny whimper. He glanced at the badge.

"New Asian Division, Illean Intel Agency, eh? You, have the police squadron off a radius of four blocks with this mansion as the center. You, gather two squadrons and search the three buildings next to the estate. Kill any and all Illeans without mercy."

Finally, he raised his head to the ceiling. "You, take her away for questioning. I want to know why Jaymes sent her."

"Yes sir."

Across the world, Jaymes was notified that Commander Kiriga himself was going to visit Illea with treaties and to discuss his offer. Taking a deep breath, he began preparing for the visit.

* * *

 **hey donuts! this chapter wasn't quite as long, but I feel like adding more would have made it a little overwhelming. again, the last pov was written by** hofund, **as were the characters featured in it!**

 **what did yall think? I actually loved writing gracie's pov, their date was so cute! I'm sorry you didn't get the kiss yet, but they're still cute! *squeals* I don't know how it's possible to ship anthony with so many girls!**

 **again, the halloween ball will be announced in the next chapter, and I might create a halloween board on pinterest, so tell me if you'd like to join it!**

 **sooo, now you know that jaymes didn't kill lily, so who did? *evil laughter***

 **I've realized that I haven't had some girls povs in a while(marina, cinnary, echo) so I'm planning on doing those in the next few chapters, but tell me who y'all want to hear from!**

 **please review and tell me what you thought! thanks to all you donuts who reviewed last chapter!** CranberryTruffle, Sabinethafangirl, BandGeek601, Silvertrue, alexiaroosenhaan, morethanjustastory, Sora Kalopsia, MastaGamerita, wolfofstark, Fryllabrille201, **and** jenhen24 **! y'all are so awesome and supportive, I love reading your reviews! you're all so sweet, and I couldn't do this without you!**

 **don't forget to vote in the poll who your favorite girls are! love y'all!**

 **~kate**


	14. Ch13 - A New Day Dawning

**Tangled Hearts Ch13 - A New Day Dawning  
**

hey donuts! okay, I'm so sorry for the late update, and I wish I could blame it on finals and Christmas and stuff, but honestly, I had plenty of time, but netflix... so you can see how that turned out. But I'm back now, so be prepared for a bunch of fun and drama filled chapters! I'm definitely planning on creating a halloween board, and yall can pin anything you think fits with the theme to it. this chapter has jemma and echo's povs, as well as the introduction to the halloween ball! I know its christmas, so bear with me here, but remember, Anthony's selection is supposed to end near Christmas(his birthday) so I'm gona take it slow. hope you like it and please review! **  
**

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 **Jemma's POV**

The whole palace was on edge.

The selected had just begun to settle in and feel more comfortable in the palace, and then Lily's death occurred, and everyone went on a rampage. It took Kassidy almost half an hour to round us all up and herd us to our rooms, explaining that we were now to be escorted everywhere we went.

No one had seen Anthony in the past 24 hours, and everyone was scrambling to Gracie and Claire for information.

However, they were just as frightened and uninformed as the rest of us, if not more so.

Everyone knew that Gracie was the last one to see Anthony, as she had been on a date with him, but if anything, she knew less than the rest of us. Claire was traumatized, and no one could blame her.

She had just witnessed the death of another selected, and she seemed a little more delicate to begin with.

Gracie and Claire didn't give in to our pestering, just clung together and desperately as if trying to forget what had taken place.

Annalise and Ophelia had both asked to leave, and it was rumored that several other girls had as well, but after asking them to reconsider, Annalise and Ophelia were the only ones who insisted to Anthony they didn't want to stay.

The tension in the castle was thick enough to cut with a knife, so when Anthony sent for me with the offer of a date to the lagoon, I was eager to accept. However, that was before I knew 9 other girls would be joining us.

Arriving at the library, the room Anthony had requested that we meet, I was greeted by Lacey, Katriona, Margaery, Evan, and Clara.

The longer we waited, the more girls trickled in, and I realized Anthony's motive.

A group date. While it may sound inconvenient at first, he would be able to spend time with more girls at once and see them interacting with each other. This was also a great opportunity to relieve stress from a group of girls instead of just one.

By the time Anthony arrived, there were 10 girls, including me, who were eager for a reprieve from the madness, so we followed Anthony outside where we were loaded into a limo and escorted to the lagoon.

As the limo smoothly drove along the dirt road, most of the girls clustered toward the window to get a good view of the forest. Where Anthony had managed to find a lagoon and a forest in the middle of Angeles, I had no idea, but I wasn't complaining.

I sat silently and accounted for all the girls. Me, Alexa, Evan, Katriona, Clara, Lacey, Margaery, Artemis, Lolita, and Dawn were all gathered for a group date.

A little much, if you asked me, but honestly, this would be a good way for us to all get to know each other and for Anthony to spend time with many girls without going on 10 individual dates.

I knew that some of the other selected wouldn't be too happy about the arrangement, but as long as Anthony wasn't selective, it would probably end up being fun.

When we finally arrived, we all spilled out of the car, anxious to get out of the confining space. A handful of guards were accompanying us, but I just ignored them and I rushed along with Artemis to get a good view of the lagoon.

As soon as we parted the trees, a cove with a reflective lagoon surrounded by the lush foliage and a roaring waterfall.

We waited for the rest of the girls to join us before stripping down to our swimsuits.

I couldn't keep the grin off my face as I ran towards the water in a sprint before curling up to form a cannonball. I immediately felt refreshed as I was enveloped by the cool water, and I took a moment before surfacing.

All the girls who were standing on the rocks near the edge of the lagoon were dripping with water from my splash, and I couldn't contain a burst of laughter at viewing their shocked faces.

I was soon joined by Anthony, who let out a hearty laugh, and soon enough, we were joined by all the other girls as they found humor in the situation.

The air was soon filled with shouts as girls jumped into the lagoon, splashing each other and laughing. As more and more girls jumped in, the atmosphere became relaxed and happy, and I was joined by Alexa, Margaery, and Dawn as we played a game of tag.

It was fun to see all these girls, normally so polite and formal, letting go and splashing all over, with wet hair flying in our faces.

It took some coaxing, but eventually we persuaded Anthony to join us, and several girls giggled as he pealed off his shirt. I made eye contact with Dawn and had to stifle a laugh as we silently conveyed what we thought of the other love sick girls.

Anthony let out a roar as he jumped up and front flipped into the water, emerging with a proud "Ta Da!"

Laughing, I splashed him.

"I bet I could do better," I challenged, and he raised his eyebrow.

"Oh ya? It's on," he dared before splashing me back.

I climbed out and wrung out my wet hair before searching before the appropriate place to jump. Honestly, I had never done a front flip into the water before, but there was a first time for everything, right?

I finally spotted the perfect location and climbed several large rocks before reaching the ledge on the waterfall. Anthony whistled as I stood up, and I noticed that most of the girls eyes were on me.

However, instead of making me nervous, this encouraged me. I took a deep breath before leaping off the edge in a front flip, and the air rushed around me before I hit the water with a splash.

When I emerged, the girls were all cheering and laughing, and I couldn't help but smirk at Anthony.

"All right, you won," he submitted with a laugh before submerging under the water. Moments later, I felt a pair of hands on my ankles that dragged me under, and I thrashed and flailed until I was released to see Anthony's grin.

I playfully shoved him aside as I caught my breath, and he swam away to go terrorize some other girl.

Alexa had dared to jump off the same ledge I had, but she slipped more than jumped, so it ended up being a fall. Even though she insisted it was terrifying, we all laughed at her attempt.

Anthony spent one on one time with almost all the girls, including me, and it was a nice break. When he was with other girls, I spent time with several of the girls that I hadn't been with before, and it was nice getting to know them.

Margaery appeared very intimidating, but Alexa had the ability to put us all at ease, and we ended up joking and talking about our lives. Even though she was a Two, Margaery ended up being very normal, and it was fun to hear her opinion on things and to just be able to joke around with her.

Taryn, on the other hand, had the stereotypical attitude of a Two. She never talked to me and clung to Anthony most of the time, but when he finally separated himself from her, she only associated herself with Margaery, Artemis, Dawn, Clara, and Katriona, who had somehow earned her status solely from her 10 pounds of makeup and revealing dresses.

When it soon became clear that Margaery, Artemis, and Dawn weren't the same scheming, manipulative, and seductive little b****** that they were, Kat, Clara, and Taryn left them alone, for the most part.

They still thought Margaery was worthy of being in their group, but they quickly disregarded that notion when she got extra attention from Anthony.

Even though we seemed to get all the rotten eggs in our group, it was still fun. Lola was very outgoing, and Evan had a carefree and flirty attitude that was amusing to watch.

Overall, it was really fun to have the chance to bond with the girls, but the few minutes I had Anthony to myself were also a highlight.

"You enjoying yourself?" I heard his voice before I saw him, and he used this to his advantage to send a wave of water onto my head.

I gasped in mock horror as I pushed my dark hair out of my eyes and turned to face him.

"I was, until you came along," I teased.

"Well that's too bad," he pouted. "I guess I'll just have to leave then," he sighed before sinking into the water, and I braced myself. A moment later, My feet were attacked and I was pulled under.

I laughed when I emerged, and Anthony was smiling triumphantly at me.

"I'll have to get you back, you know," I reminded him playfully, and he shrugged innocently before I sent a splash right at his face, matting his dark hair. He laughed and began to chase me around, and I swam desperately in attempt to get away from him, but didn't make it on time.

We played for several minutes more, and it was nice to be able to flirt freely without receiving a deadly glare from a jealous girl.

The date was over all to quickly, and we packed up and headed back to the palace.

I vaguely remember Clara ranting angrily about something to Taryn, but I was too busy laughing with Lacey and Dawn to pay attention.

Anthony had successfully distracted us from the anxiety of the palace, and I was grateful for the chance to bond with the people I'd be spending the next several months of my life with.

* * *

 **Echo Rolland**

It was common knowledge that Anthony had asked 10 girls out on a group date. For the past several hours, the remaining girls had been moping in the woman's room, all of us upset but no one brave enough to say anything.

I hadn't wanted to be here in the first place, but Kassidy had insisted that there was an announcement, and attendance was mandatory.

However, the constant whispers of the girls had been getting on my nerves, and I was bored out of my mind. I wanted more than anything to return to my room and be alone, but that wasn't really an option.

I wasn't aware of everyone around me, but Gracie was sitting next to me, sniffing every once in a while.

She was one of the few girls who's voices I recognized, so when she asked if she could join me, I reluctantly complied. Cinnary was on my other side, and we had been in a small discussion before someone shushed us and we lapsed into silence.

No one was thrilled that we were left behind on the date, but our mood worsened when the doors swung open and a dozen giggles entered the room.

They seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere and continued to chatter in whispered giggles. I felt Cinnary shift next to me, and she began speaking in hushed tones to someone else.

I strained my ears, hoping to hear a familiar voice, but I came back empty handed.

There were too many girls at once, and without being able to match a face to a name, and honestly, I disliked the girls enough that I wasn't really trying to memorize names.

After a minute of slouching in my chair, the chattering died down, and I felt Cinnary's breath as she whispered in my ear.

"Clara's gone," she informed me, her voice unsure, as if she didn't know whether to be sad, happy, or scared.

"Clara?" I asked, my voice a little hoarse, as I tried to search my memory for who she was referring to.

"Yeah. Apparently, she tried to seduce Anthony and implied several things that made him uncomfortable, and he told her to leave. At least, that's what Lola heard, but no one knows for sure," she rushed, and I caught my breath.

It must have happened when they were on the group date. It was rumored that Anthony had taken them to a lagoon to go swimming, so it made sense that she would make her move there.

I understood where Cinnary's hesitance came from. On one side, I didn't know Clara, so I wasn't exactly sad to see her go, but it had barely been a week and we were already at 23 girls. This selection was being narrowed down much more quickly than I had expected.

If Clara got cut simply from making a move, how many more of us would be leaving by trying to seduce Anthony?

I knew that I would never even think about it, but I was pretty confident that more than one girl would be comfortable manipulating him.

Maybe it was a warning. Maybe Anthony wanted us to know that if we overstepped our boundaries, he wouldn't hesitate to send us home. If it was, it had worked pretty well. If I was scared about being sent home, then the girls who actually cared must have been terrified.

I sighed before slouching back in my seat. There was no point overthinking this.

I focused my eyes at the front of the room when I recognized Kassidy's voice calling us to attention.

"So girls, as you know, we're drawing near to Halloween, and it's become a tradition to host a Halloween Ball during the selection."

At these words, the room erupted in excited whispers, but Kassidy kindly silenced them.

"This ball is coming up this weekend, in 6 days, and I have a special surprise for you girls. In addition to designing your own costume for the ball, each of you will be given the opportunity to plan certain aspects of the ball!"

At this announcement, the atmosphere immediately cheered, but the girls stayed silent as to hear Kassidy's next words.

"You will be divided into groups, and each group will arrange one of the many parts of this ball. There will be food preparation, decorations, costumes, invitations, and much more. The future queen will have to prepare balls like this, so this will be your opportunity to show Prince Anthony what your made of."

"The rest of the day will be spent designing your costumes, and your groups will be announced tomorrow. You will have five days to prepare, and you may ask for help from anyone in the palace. This will be your moment to shine!"

As Kassidy finished her announcement, the room erupted in excited conversations as girls planned their costumes and discussed what group they wanted to be in.

I refrained from rolling my eyes, and I stood up to make my exit. I still hadn't quite figured out the way to my room, but I remembered which floor it was on, so at least I had something to go off of.

I made my way to the door as quickly as I could and then began my trek towards my room. I was almost to the corridor that led to the stairs when I heard a voice call from behind me.

"Need help?" It was a girl, and her voice was sickly sweet. I heard her heels clack on the floor as she came nearer to me. "Echo, is it?" I nodded, barely able to conceal my annoyance.

She grabbed by arm, and I flinched away and glared at the sound of her voice.

"Are you trying to find your room?"

"I'm fine on my own," I snapped, not wanting to give away how nervous I was.

"Oh, but your heading toward the kitchen! The selected wing is this way," she said, spinning my around. She turned me in a different direction, her sharp nails digging into my skin as I tried to yank my arm out of her grip.

"Let go of me!"

She spun me around again in response, giggling as I struggled to gain a sense of my location.

"Here," her perky voice told me. "Head straight that way and then take a left, and you'll find your room." I was disoriented, and it took me a moment to realize that the sound of her heels clacking against the ground was fading away.

As much as I hated it, I had no other option, so I walked straight, the same way the girl told me. I felt my way around, struggling to get a grip on where I was. The longer I walked, the sooner I realized that there was no corridor that led left, so I took a right, hoping that it would lead me to my room.

After a while of searching, I had to calm my panic. I had absolutely no idea where I was. How was I supposed to get back to my room now?

For a moment, I thought about asking for help, but my pride overcame it. I didn't want to appear weak. I could do this. I just needed to retrace my steps.

I turned around and walked back, my fingers brushing the walls as I struggled to overcome to panic. After close to an hour of endless wandering, I realized that I was hopelessly lost.

Every hall was the same, and I couldn't see anything. I had no idea which way to go. As much as I pushed it away, the fear kept creeping back in.

I was lost. I was so close to breaking down, but I had to keep it together. I just needed a moment to calm down.

Finally succumbing to the weakness, I slumped down the wall and sat on the floor, wrapping my arms around my knees. I took deep breaths, trying to control my breathing, but it was pointless.

I felt tears leak down my cheeks as I cradled my knees. Why did I ever think I could do this? I thought I could be strong and show the world that being blind didn't stop me, but here I was, all alone, crying in the middle of a hallway.

I was pathetic. But in that moment, I couldn't stop the sob from coming out of my throat. All the girls here hated me, I was completely alone, and I had no freaking idea where I was. What did I do now?

I couldn't stop the pathetic whimpering as I cried into my knees, hoping desperately that no one would see me like this. I had been embarrassed enough as it was.

Unfortunately, my wish did not come true. Moments later, I heard a pounding of feet coming toward me. I quickly wiped my tears away and stood up. I couldn't afford to look weak.

"Hello? Echo, is that you?" I scowled. Of all people to find me alone, crying in the hall, it had to be Anthony.

"I'm fine," I told him, straightening my spine. I could feel his hands wrap around my, and I struggled to keep a straight face. I was so humiliated. No doubt he could see the tear stains on my face, no matter how hard I had tried to hide them.

"Let me bring you to your room." I could hear the concern in his voice, and I tried to escape his grasp and started walking away.

"I don't need help. I can get there on my own," I insisted. He didn't seem to buy it, as a moment later, he grabbed my hand and gently led me down the hall.

"Echo, what are you doing here? This is the floor where all the staff stay," he explained gently.

"I'm fine," I repeated stubbornly, too embarrassed to let him see my moment of weakness. Anthony was silent for a moment.

"Did someone else lead you here?" I didn't respond. I couldn't bear his sympathy, and I didn't want to reveal the girl who had led me. I could stay strong by not stooping to her level.

"Echo, tell me who did this to you." His voice took on a harsher tone, and he sounded almost angry.

"Echo, please," he pleaded. "It's not fair that someone else can hurt you and get away with it." He sounded almost like he cared about me, and I had to push away the warm feeling in my chest as I thought about his words.

"I promise, I'm fine. I can find my way around by myself," I insisted, though my voice was much gentler than I had intended.

"I promise, if I find out who did this to you, they won't get away with it," he said passionately, and I flinched away from his anger. He seemed to realize, and he immediately relaxed. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "From now on, you'll be escorted everywhere you go," he vowed, and I scowled, but he seemed to take it as encouragement.

"No, seriously! Even if I can't be there with you, I promise that Kassidy or someone else will be. I'm not leaving you alone again, whether you like it or not," he teased. And for better or worse, he kept his promise.

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 **awwwww! wasn't that so cute? I have too many ships in this story, hahaxD but Anthony and Echo (anthco? ecthony? idk) are so freakin cute? thanks to** UltimateMaxmericaShipper **for the idea for the last scene, it was so fun to write! Echo's a challenging character, considering she's blind, but I can't help but love her, and it's so fun to write about her.**

 **I also invited you guys to the halloween board on pinterest, so you can pin your character's costume there, along with anything else halloween inspiredxD I'll be using all the costumes that are pinned on the halloween board, so make sure you label who it's for. if you don't have pinterest and have a specific request for your character, please let me know!**

 **hope you liked this chapter, and please review! love yall!**

 **-kate**


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